Feasibility Analysis on the Establishment of Eco-environmental Monitoring System in the Source Area of the Yellow River

The headwater region of the Yellow River (refers to the main stream region above the Tangnaihai Hydrological Station or the Longyangxia Reservoir of the upper Yellow River) is the main inflow area, commonly known as the "water tower" of the Yellow River. Its drainage area is 12.2 x 10(4) km(2), accounting for 16.2% of the Yellow River's watershed area, its long - term average runoff is 20.47 billion m(3), accounting for 35.5% of the annual runoff volume of the Yellow River. In this paper the existing data including climatic, hydrological grassland, forest resource data and other data recorded at environment monitoring network stations as well as the information acquired by remote sensing, geographic information system and global positioning system techniques (namely 3S techniques) were used to make a feasibility study and analysis for the establishment of eco - environmental monitoring system in the headwater region from the angles of technology, economy and engineering. From the analysis it has been concluded that by introducing internationally advanced eco - environmental monitoring techniques and items the establishment of eco - environmental monitoring system in the headwater region of the Yellow River is entirely feasible.