The study found that when there is a positive relationship between the amount of water flowing in a river and the amount of sediment being carried, less water is needed to transport the sediment efficiently. By analyzing data from the Lower Yellow River, researchers discovered that a stronger correlation between water flow and sediment transport leads to higher efficiency in moving sediment. This means that regulating the flow of water from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir can help reduce water consumption for sediment transport and improve the overall efficiency of the process.