Quantitative assessment of sediment sources in the Shanxi Fenhe River reservoir section: A comparative study using end-member mixing analysis and sediment fingerprinting

International Soil and Water Conservation Research 2026 Open access

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Authors: Xiaolei Liang, Xiaohui Zhai, Aimin Liang, Mengjie Zhang, Kailu Guo, Lei Zhang, Jun Yang, Zhihua Cheng, Zilin Cui
DOI: 10.1016/j.iswcr.2026.01.002
Cited by: 0
References: 48

Abstract

Sediment accumulation in the upper Fenhe River basin threatens reservoir storage and ecological security, exemplifying broader soil erosion challenges on the Loess Plateau. To address the difficulty of tracing sources under highly homogeneous geochemical conditions, this study integrates End-Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA) with sediment fingerprinting (SF) into a combined framework for sediment source apportionment. Results indicate that: sediments are primarily sourced from proximal tributaries, with Jianhe, Lanhe, Dongnian, and Xinian Rivers contributing 91.6%; the SF approach provides higher precision in identifying weak signals and minor sources (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Soil erosion and sediment transport Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes Aeolian processes and effects

Publication details

Journal / source
International Soil and Water Conservation Research
Volume
14
Issue
2
Pages
100610–100610
Publication date
11 January 2026
Language
EN