Coupling Eco-hydrological Model and Multi-source Remote Sensing Data to Simulate Efficiency of Green Water Flows in the Yellow River Basin, China

The green water approach is relatively more important in terms of its utilization with different land-use modes. It is necessary to couple eco-hydrological model and multi-source remote sensing parameters to estimate land-use efficiency of green flows. An eco-hydrological model is constructed in this study to simulate the green water flows in the Yellow River Basin, China. The structure of green water flows in the Yellow River Basin was studied using a combination of remote sensing and GIS technology, along with the meteorological data and in situ field, vegetation and soil texture data. The green water flows were found to be decreased, stabilized, and increased due to various land uses and structures of different vegetation types. The estimated cumulative growing season green water flows in 2006 from the woodland, grassland, shrub land, and cropland were 431.7 mm, 289.6 mm, 322.2 mm, and 383.9 mm, respectively. The low-utility proportion in the woodland, grassland, shrub land, and cropland was 46.7%, 47.9%, 50.7%, and 66.3%, respectively (forest > grassland > shrub land > cropland). The low utility and the high utility of the forest and grassland were proportional; however, the low utility of the grassland was proportionally higher than that of the forest. Based on these results, the adjustment of vegetation and crop structure to optimize water resource allocation is recommended to improve water and land-use efficiency.