Wang Xingong, Lian Yu, Huang Jinhui, Wang Ruiling, Ge Lei, Iou Guangyan

(Yellow River Basin Water Resources Protection Bureau, Zhenzhou, Hennan, 450004)

Abstract£ºThe ecological water demand of yellow river estuary is dynamic and will change with the changing of protected target and its scale and the request of people. Based on the analysis of form and characteristics of ecological water demand, and according to the main ecological units of yellow river estuary and their function requirements, the ecological water demands in current protection levels are calculated with ecological methods, and are allocated in different times of a year. The results show the minimum and suitable ecological water demand of Yellow River estuary is 4.703 billion m³ and 6.816 billion m³ respectively. For keep the biodiversity of estuary wetland and guarantee its eco-hydrological function, the minimum ecological flow: 75m³/s and 415m³/s should be fulfilled from November to March and from April to June separately, and the average minimum ecological flow in non-flood period is 200m³/s.  

Key words: Yellow River Estuary; Ecological Water Demand; Wetland