Adaptation of urban distribution to the fluvial geomorphic environment and the reconstruction of the river system structure by urban distribution in Haihe Plain in the past 2,200 years

Abstract

The alluvial plain of many of the world's large rivers is generally an area with concentrated urban distribution and a long history of development. In eastern China, the alluvial plains downstream of large rivers such as the Haihe River are the most densely populated and economically developed regions. Beijing, the capital of China, is located on the Haihe Plain. It is a matter of great significance that the region's capacity for livability and sustainable development be improved. Using the river geomorphic data and historical town information, methods of spatial statistical analysis and historical literature research, this paper analyzes the spatial relationship between the distribution of urban centers and the fluvial geomorphology of the Haihe Plain over more than 2,200 years. The research finds that: first, different levels of cities and towns have led to varying choices regarding the fluvial geomorphic environment. Second, in different periods in which different transportations were dominant, the distribution of cities and towns has adapted to the fluvial geomorphology. In the land transportation period, urban settlements mainly concentrated on the diluvial‐alluvial fans at the foot of the Taihang Mountain; in the inland shipping period, they focused on gathering at the confluence of rivers on the central plain and along the canals; in the period of global trade, Tianjin, a trade center, established itself at the mouth of the Haihe River. Third, humans intend to rebuild water system structures (such as the Grand Canal) in the context of major water conservancy projects in the basin to meet the needs of the expanding regions and towns. The research shows that the urban development of the Haihe Plain should adapt to the natural regional pattern and establish a solution based on respecting the natural conditions of the basin, to make the regional sustainable development more resilient.

Study on the Evolution and Adaptability of the River Network System under Rapid Urbanization in the Xiangjiang River Basin, China

“…In China, there are countless cities built on water and living by rivers, and a network of cities based on canals has developed maturely. In the early years of history, suitable riverine environments provided good water, soil, biology, and transport resources for urban development, and different levels of urban centers had different mechanisms for selecting and adapting to riverine geomorphological environments [23]. However, with the increase in productivity and in the context of rapid urbanization, the human-land-water relationship in the region is changing, with low-grade rivers being filled in and the storage and drainage capacity of river network systems declining, leading to a series of water safety and water ecology problems [55].…”

“…However, research on the adaptability of river network systems has not been conducted. Some scholars have studied the adaptation of the urban distribution of the Haihe Plain to the geomorphological environment of the river and the reconstruction of its hydrological structure over the past 2200 years from the perspective of ancient river channels [23], or how the reconstruction of water cycle processes reveals the evolution of human-water relations in Chinese Tunbao over 600 years [24]. Another study explored the spatially non-stationary relationship between the urbanization of the plain and the characteristics and water storage regulation capacity of river network systems [25].…”

‘Typical container’ of Chinese civilisation: ‘Yellow-Canal-Yangtze’ watershed community

“…During this period, the adaptation process of river basin urban settlements on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain led to the reconstruction of urban distribution and water system structure. 40 At the same time, rivers served as channels for internal communication and transportation within the country, promoting overall connectivity and effective governance of the regional landscape. 19 The past 500 years: Diverse adaptation under cultural exchange…”

Locality and the adaptation of river‐related built environment

“…The evolution of urban patterns from early history is of great significance for understanding the characteristics and context of the human‐land relationships in the basin (Du et al, 2019). Du et al (2022) examined the spatial relationships between the distribution of urban centers and fluvial geomorphology, over more than 2200 years, of the Haihe Plain, where Beijing is located. They found that the diluvial‐alluvial fans of the piedmont inclined plain and shallowly buried paleochannels have unique topographic and hydrological features, which result in a greater number and increased length of existence of cities above this level are higher than other geomorphic units, and that climatic fluctuation and presence of the channels and canals are primary factors affecting change within urban centers.…”