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Sustainability
Volume 17
Issue 21
10.3390/su17219477
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Multi-Dimensional Risks and Eco-Environmental Responses of Check Dam Systems: Evidence from a Typical Watershed in China’s Loess Plateau

by
Yujie Yang
,
Shengdong Cheng
*,
Penglei Hang
,
Zhanbin Li
,
Heng Wu
,
Ganggang Ke
,
Xingyue Guo
and
Yunzhe Zhen
State Key Laboratory of Water Engineering Ecology and Environment in Arid Area, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9477; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219477 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 29 August 2025 / Revised: 16 October 2025 / Accepted: 22 October 2025 / Published: 24 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Water Engineering and Ecological Environment Restoration)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Deteriorating check dams pose significant threats to human safety and property, while impeding eco-environmental restoration in soil–water conservation systems in vulnerable watersheds like the Jiuyuangou Basin on China’s Loess Plateau. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive risk assessment framework for the check dam system in the Jiuyuangou Basin, China, to mitigate its threats to safety and eco-environmental restoration. A multi-index and multilevel risk evaluation system was established for check dam systems in the Jiuyuangou Basin, utilizing data gathering, hydrological statistics, numerical computation, and various methodologies. The index weights were determined via the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process with an integrated modeling framework for key parameters. Finally, the risk level of the check dam system in the Jiuyuangou Basin was assessed based on the comprehensive score. The results show that (1) nearly half of the check dams are at mild risk, approximately 25% are at moderate risk, and a few are basically safe. (2) Among various types of risk, the distribution of engineering risk is relatively uniform, environmental risk is generally high, loss risk is relatively concentrated, and management risk is particularly prominent. This research provides a scientific foundation for optimizing check dam governance, enhancing sediment control, and strengthening ecological service functions in vulnerable watersheds.
Keywords: fuzzy analytic hierarchy process; risk assessment; Loess Plateau; Jiuyuangou watershed fuzzy analytic hierarchy process; risk assessment; Loess Plateau; Jiuyuangou watershed

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Yang, Y.; Cheng, S.; Hang, P.; Li, Z.; Wu, H.; Ke, G.; Guo, X.; Zhen, Y. Multi-Dimensional Risks and Eco-Environmental Responses of Check Dam Systems: Evidence from a Typical Watershed in China’s Loess Plateau. Sustainability 2025, 17, 9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219477

AMA Style

Yang Y, Cheng S, Hang P, Li Z, Wu H, Ke G, Guo X, Zhen Y. Multi-Dimensional Risks and Eco-Environmental Responses of Check Dam Systems: Evidence from a Typical Watershed in China’s Loess Plateau. Sustainability. 2025; 17(21):9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219477

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yang, Yujie, Shengdong Cheng, Penglei Hang, Zhanbin Li, Heng Wu, Ganggang Ke, Xingyue Guo, and Yunzhe Zhen. 2025. "Multi-Dimensional Risks and Eco-Environmental Responses of Check Dam Systems: Evidence from a Typical Watershed in China’s Loess Plateau" Sustainability 17, no. 21: 9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219477

APA Style

Yang, Y., Cheng, S., Hang, P., Li, Z., Wu, H., Ke, G., Guo, X., & Zhen, Y. (2025). Multi-Dimensional Risks and Eco-Environmental Responses of Check Dam Systems: Evidence from a Typical Watershed in China’s Loess Plateau. Sustainability, 17(21), 9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219477

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