Riparian Vegetation Expansion Due to the Change of Rainfall Pattern and Water Level in the River

Abstract

This study aims to examine the causes of the rapid expansion of riparian vegetation in river channels in recent years. Accordingly, the changes in the monthly rainfall were analyzed at 19 locations over the period of 1984 to 2018. Moreover, the changes in the water levels of the target river sections of Seom River, Cheongmi River, and Naeseong River were analyzed. The results showed that rainfall increased by 30% in April and decreased by up to 49% in the May-September period since 2012. Between 2012 and 2018, when rainfall decreased, the inundation time of the floodplains of the target rivers decreased considerably. The floodplains of Seom River and Cheongmi River were not inundated since 2012 and 2013, respectively. In the case of Naeseong River, the inundation time of the low-water channel drastically decreased since 2013, and there was no inundation in 2015. Consequently, riparian vegetation settled rapidly on the floodplain without any disturbance and continued to expand. The settling and expansion of riparian vegetation reduce the flood capacity of the river channel and can also lead to the loss of the water ecosystem due to terrestrialization.