A model study of the discharges effects of Kaidu River on the salinity structure of Bosten Lake

Abstract

The salinization of Bosten Lake, which is the largest lake in the arid or semi-arid region of Xinjiang, has increased. To study the effects of the inflow change of Kaidu River, the main recharge, on the salinity structure of Bosten Lake, the Estuarine, Coastal, and Ocean Modeling System with Sediments (ECOMSED), a basic three-dimensional numerical model, was used. The model is forced by realistic atmospheric forcing and river inflows, and verified by observational data. The model simulations can map the lake water movement processes and offer an understanding of the likely role of river runoff on the Bosten Lake salinity structure. The water mainly flows eastward at the surface and westward at the bottom. The river runoff of Kaidu River significantly affects the salinity structure of the southwestern part of the lake. The Kaidu River discharge mostly flowed northeastward along the west bank of the lake, so with decreasing Kaidu River discharge, the salinity of the region from the inlet of the river to its right (looking in the direction of the flow) subsequently increased. This study helps to the mastering of the dynamic change of salinity and provides some quantity information for controlling the salinization of Bosten Lake.