Articles | Volume 30, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-67-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-67-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Jan 2026
Research article |
| 09 Jan 2026
| 09 Jan 2026
Increased surface water evaporation loss induced by reservoir development on the Loess Plateau
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Xianhong Xie
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Yibing Wang
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Arken Tursun
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Dawei Peng
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Xinran Wu
State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Baolin Xue
Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Satellite Applications, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Short summary
Global reservoir construction has improved water supply, but its impact on evaporation losses remains uncertain. Our study examines how reservoir development affects water evaporation in the Loess Plateau of China. We find that evaporation loss has increased due to expanding surface water, particularly from thousands of small- and medium-sized reservoirs. This new finding underscores the need to consider previously overlooked evaporation in the hydrological cycle and future water management.
Global reservoir construction has improved water supply, but its impact on evaporation losses...
