GIS and Remote Sensing in Hydrology, Water Resources and Environment (Proceedings of ICGRHWE held at the Three Gorges Dam, China, September 2003). IAHS Publ. 289, 2004, 219-226

Abstract The Taihu basin is one of the most developed regions in China, and land use has changed considerably over the last 20 years. Based on 1:10 000 aerial photographs, land use in the Taihu basin was interpreted for 1986 and 1996. Land use types are analysed in this paper. Runoff in 1986 and 1996 were calculated using precipitation from May to September of 1991. Land use changed greatly between 1986 and 1996: cultivated land decreased by 3385 km², whereas construction area increased by 2460 km². The spatial distribution of land use is different. With a higher GDP per capita and density population, land use has changed more than in other regions. Land use changes have increased runoff from precipitation greatly. Compared to 1986, runoff has increased by 10⁹ m³ in 1996 (assuming 1991 precipitation). Runoff increased much more in the upper reaches than in the lower reaches. These calculated results correspond with high water levels in Taihu Lake in the 1990s.

Keywords impact; land use changes; runoff; Taihu basin