The analysis of the temporal and spatial changes of the Molimiao reservoir (Inner Mongolia, China)

The Molimiao reservoir is the largest desert reservoir in Asia, and possesses considerable societal, economic and ecological value. The surface area of the water bodies within the reservoir are affected by the dual impacts of local changes in climate and human activities, with both of these factors being closely related to each other. In recent years, the inflows of the reservoir have been relatively low in water and high in sediment, which has contributed to the aging of the reservoir and resulted in a continuous decrease in the surface area of the water bodies within the reservoir. Duwala et al. The Analysis of the Temporal and Spatial Changes of the Molimiao Reservoir (Inner Mongolia, China) Against the global backdrop of climate change, it would be beneficial to strengthen the monitoring of the surface area of the reservoir’s water bodies, to further utilize the functional value of the reservoir. In this work, remote sensing, hydrological and meteorological data were used to analyze the temporal and spatial changes of the reservoir. These results show that the surface area of the water bodies within the Molimiao reservoir have decreased over the last 10 years. Highly distinct characteristics were found in the monthly and yearly variations in the surface area of the water bodies, and a strong correlation was found between the water bodies’ surface area and climatic conditions.