[Effects of Long-term Implementation of the Flow-Sediment Regulation Scheme on Grain and Clay Compositions of Inshore Sediments in the Yellow River Estuary].

Based on the laser particle size and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, 28 sediment samples collected from the inshore region of the Yellow River estuary in October 2013 were determined to discuss the influence of long-term implementation of the flow-sediment regulation scheme (FSRS, initiated in 2002) on the distributions of grain size and clay components (smectite, illite, kaolinite and chlorite) in sediments. Results showed that, after the FSRS was implemented for more than 10 years, although the proportion of sand in inshore sediments of the Yellow River estuary was higher (average value, 23.5%) than those in sediments of the Bohai Sea and the Yellow River, silt was predominated (average value, 59.1%) and clay components were relatively low (average value, 17.4%). The clay components in sediments of the inshore region in the Yellow River estuary were close with those in the Yellow River. The situation was greatly changed due to the implementation of FSRS since 2002, and the clay components were in the order of illite > smectite > chlorite > kaolinite. This study also indicated that, compared to large-scale investigation in Bohai Sea, the local study on the inshore region of the Yellow River estuary was more favorable for revealing the effects of long-term implementation of the FSRS on sedimentation environment of the Yellow River estuary.