Change point detection and Trend analysis of observed streamflow in the
Upper Mekong Basin during the period 1960--2020
Abstract
The Langcang-Mekong River Basin is the most important transboundary
river basin in Asia. However, over the recent decades, dam construction
has been increasingly recognized as having profound effects on
hydrological processes, aquatic and riparian ecosystems. Understanding
these impacts is critical for the foundation of sustainable runoff
surface management. In this study, different methods based on both
graphical and numerical techniques were applied to assess the effects of
the dams on annual, seasonal, and monthly runoff and to detect
hydroclimatic trends in the Upper Mekong Basin during the period
1960–2020. The results reveal two change points with respect to
seasonal and annual flow regimes; that is 2003 for the flood season and
annual flows, and 2013 for the dry season flow. The duration of the
flood season and the volume of annual discharges have both significantly
decreased since 2003 and the dry season discharge has significantly
increased since 2013 (with both p-values < 0.05). The
quantitative assessment suggests that, due to the effect of dams, the
monthly discharges increased around 10–450 m3/s during the dry season
(December to May), while the flood season’s monthly flows decreased
significantly, approximately 1028–2150 m3/s from July to October at
Chiang Saen station. The study of hydrological changes in the Mekong
watershed is expected to be a significant contribution towards a better
understanding of large watersheds in which the hydrological responses
are influenced not only by climate change at large spatial and temporal
scales but also by changes in the physical environment due to the
construction of dams.