Check dams and small reservoirs alter flood risks in China's river basin.
Small reservoirs and check dams in China's Daqinghe river basin caused changes in flood patterns. Researchers estimated storage capacities and drainage areas of these structures to update design floods. They reconstructed past floods to create a more accurate flood series. For smaller floods, the modified design peak and volume decreased, but for larger floods, the peak discharge increased. This method can help improve flood calculations in areas with many check dams.