JIAO Xing 1, LIU Guang-quan 1, 2, 3, TU Xiao-ning 4

1. China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China;
2. International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation, Beijing 100048, China;
3. Northwest A&F University, YangLing 712100, China;
4. Plant Development and Management Center for Soil and Water Conservation of MWR, Beijing 100038, China

Abstract: To solve the problems concerning the shortage of water resources, sparse vegetation, fragile eco-environment, water loss and soil erosion in the Loess Plateau, a simulation model for evapotranspiration and vegetation water requirement were set up with meteorological data of 62 weather stations from 1980 to 2008 and by the Penman-Monteith Model and single crop coefficient method in the Loess Plateau. The reference evapotranspiration (ET0), different types of vegetation water requirement (ETc) and the spatial distribution, theoretical vegetation coverage and potential assessment of grain productivity under precipitation were studied in the Loess Plateau, which focused on the water resources carrying capacity for vegetation restoration or rehabilitation. The results show that the annual ETc of Robinia pseudoacacia, Pinus tabulaeformis, Medicago sativa, Malus pumila were 450-800 mm, 500-900 mm, 300-600 mm, 400-700 mm respectively from 1980 to 2008. The theoretical vegetation coverage of broad-leaved trees, needle trees, grass and fruit trees are 14 %-65 %, 13%-60 %, 7 %-51 % and 16 %-64 % respectively.

Key words: the Loess Plateau; revegetation; water resources; carrying capacity

Published in: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 45, No. 10, 2014