Palaeochannels and ground-water storage on the North China Plain

The North China Plain, on which there are many palaeochannels as a result of frequent river channel changes, consists of a complex of floodplains formed by the Yellow, the Haihe and me Luanhe rivers. The palaeochannels act as a significant store of fresh ground water. Most of the storage is within sand and gravel layers. The buried depth of these layers varies among palaeochannels formed in different periods. For example, those formed between the last principal stage of glaciation and early Holocene time are buried 20-40 m deep. Those formed in mid-Holocene time are found at a depth of 10-20 m and those formed in late Holocene time at 0-10 m depth. Ground-water storage and palaeochannel discharge was calculated for the North China Plain. Ground-water in palaeochannels is recharged mainly by rainfall. With good management practice, the water withdrawn can be balanced against recharge to achieve a sustainable level of use. In addition, the shallow-buried palaeochannels provide a suitable environment for water regulation and storage and can be used to develop underground reservoirs.