Using Integrated Hydrological Models to Assess the Impacts of Climate Change on Discharges and Extreme Flood Events in the Upper Yangtze River Basin
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
A BRIEF SUMMARY
The paper titled “Using integrated hydrological models to assess the impacts of climate change on discharges and extreme flood events in the upper Yangtze River Basin” presents a good topic for readers of this Journal. The topic represents a line of research as interesting as studied. The paper is well structured.
The results are carefully described and analysed in the paper. Hovewer, some open questions remain after reading the paper. Below is the list of some questions that need to be addressed.
- At lines 202-206 the authors reported: “We do find that land cover changes resulting from climate changes and other human activities may have an effect on the hydrology (Mahmoud and Alazba., 2015), but this study did not consider the land cover changes here following other previous studies (Fick-204 lin et al., 2013; Bian et al., 2017; Gao et al., 2020). We assumed constant land use/land cover throughout the 21st century, as we modeled the upper and more remote regions of the YRB only”. I partially agree this sentence; therefore, I suggest improving this part. In fact, in my opinion you have to spend some sentences on the scale effect. In particular there are many studies (some suggested in my specific comments) that have demonstrated “peak discharge” dependence by correlation between land use change and “watershed extension”.
- I have read your conclusions several times. In my opinion are not “conclusions”, but a supplementary results discussion. I suggest to merge this part with discussion paragraph and to rewrite “conclusions paragraph”, in order to shortly highlight the study novelty.
- Finally, I hope to read in the revised version suggestions for future developments of this interesting work.
SPECIFIC COMMENTS
I suggest the following studies on “hydrologic modelling” and on “land use change impact on flooding areas”.
- Adnan, R.M., Petroselli, A., Heddam, S. et al. Comparison of different methodologies for rainfall–runoff modeling: machine learning vs conceptual approach. Nat Hazards (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04438-2
- Grimaldi, S., Nardi, F., Piscopia, R., Petroselli, A., Apollonio, C.. Continuous hydrologic modelling for design simulation in small and ungauged basins: A step forward and some tests for its practical use. Journal of Hydrology, 2020, 125664, ISSN 0022-1694. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125664
- Petroselli, A., Piscopia, R., & Grimaldi, S. (2020). Design discharge estimation in small and ungauged basins: EBA4SUB framework sensitivity analysis. Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 51(2), 107-118. https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2020.1040
- Blöschl, G.; Ardoin-Bardin, S.; Bonell, M.; Dorninger, M.; Goodrich, D.; Gutknecht, D.; Matamoros, D.; Merz, B.; Shand, P.; Szolgay, J. At what scales do climate variability and land cover change impact on flooding and low flows? Process. 2007, 21, 1241–1247.
- Olang, L.O.; Kundu, P.; Bauer, T.; Fürst, J. Analysis of spatio-temporal land cover changes for hydrological impact assessment within the Nyando River Basin of Kenya. Monit. Assess. 2011, 179, 389–401.
- Pattison, I.; Lane, S.N. The link between land-use management and fluvial flood risk: A chaotic conception? Phys. Geogr. 2011, 36, 72–92.
- Apollonio, C.; Balacco, G.; Novelli, A.; Tarantino, E.; Piccinni, A.F. Land Use Change Impact on Flooding Areas: The Case Study of Cervaro Basin (Italy). Sustainability 2016, 8, 996.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Thanks for your helpful comments and suggestions. We have provied a letter of response to your comments to explain point-by-point the details of the revisions, and all revisions have been clearly highlighted in the revised manuscript. Please see the attachment.
Best regards
Chao Gao
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript is interesting. Nevertheless, it needs some further improvements. In general, there are still some occasional grammar errors throughout the manuscript, especially the article "the," "a," and "an" is missing in many places; please make a spellchecking in addition to these minor issues. The reviewer has listed some specific comments that might help the authors further enhance the manuscript's quality.
- Specific Comments
Please include a list of acronyms and abbreviations.
Please remove the abbreviations from the abstract.
- Introduction
- The authors need to enrich the background further. The following literature might be useful in this regard << Flood susceptibility modelling using advanced ensemble machine learning models>, << Seasonality shift and streamflow flow variability trends in central India>> and << Human–Environment Natural Disasters Interconnection in China: A Review>> you may review other additional relevant references as well.
- What is the novelty of this work?
- Methods
- Methodology limitations should be mentioned.
- I would sugegst presenting the methodology through a flowchart.
- Please explain all variables.
- Results
- This section is well written.
- Discussion
- This section is well written.
- Conclusions
- This section is well written.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Thanks for your helpful comments and suggestions. We have provied a letter of response to your comments to explain point-by-point the details of the revisions, and all revisions have been clearly highlighted in the revised manuscript. Please see the attachment.
Best regards
Chao Gao
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
A BRIEF SUMMARY
The paper has been improved following revier comments. In my opinion, it is ready for publication. Congratulations.
Only one “minor comment”: at line 550, you have to delete “Acknowledgments”.
Author Response
As suggested by reviewer, we have deleted the “Acknowledgments” at line 550 in the revised manuscript.
