The Yellow River in China has been carrying a lot of sediment for thousands of years. Most of this sediment gets trapped in the North China Plain, with only a small amount reaching the sea. Due to changes in land use and climate, the amount of sediment reaching the sea has decreased significantly in recent years. This is mainly due to less water flowing in the river and more water being used for industry and cities. In the future, it is expected that even less sediment will reach the sea due to global warming and increased water use.