Key facts
- Yarlung Tsangpo River may face increased flood risks this century.
- Researchers used tree-ring width chronologies to reconstruct run-off history.
- Future climate scenarios project increased river run-off.
Researchers in China have found that the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which will soon host the world's largest dam, may experience increased run-off and flood risks throughout this century. The study utilized tree-ring width chronologies from the southeastern Tibetan Plateau to reconstruct the river's run-off history spanning from 1325 to 2020. This historical data, combined with climate data, was used to develop a model that forecasts an increase in river run-off under various future climate scenarios, suggesting a potential rise in high-run-off events.
