The study looked at how climate factors affect the amount of water flowing in the Yellow River headwaters region. They found that runoff has been decreasing since 1956 and will likely continue to do so. The main factors influencing runoff were precipitation, temperature, and certain climate patterns. Different time scales showed different impacts of climate change on runoff. The researchers identified three main patterns in runoff variations: yearly, every 6.9 years, and every 24.8 years. Overall, the findings will help manage water resources in the Yellow River headwaters region.