Differential Changes in Water and Sediment Transport Under the Influence of Large-Scale Reservoirs Connected End to End in the Upper Yangtze River

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1) This paper discusses the trend of runoff and sediment in Jinsha River section of upper Yangtze River, analyzes the influence of climate change and reservoir regulation on runoff and sediment, and has certain data value and scientific value. However， it gives a detail analysis of water and sediment budget for the study river section.

2) As shown in Table 2, the water and sediment data series used in this study are not time-inhibited. What is the effect on the results?

How does the author deal with the inconsistent data over time?

3) 

What is the direct or indirect relationship between sudden changes in runoff and sediment and climate and reservoir construction?

This needs to be further clarified.

4) Why did both the annual sediment inflow and outflow of the reach showed a significant decreasing trend?

Author Response

The responses to the reviewers' comments are provided in the uploaded file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper analyzes water and sediment transport/flow in the particular case of the significant accumulations on the Upper Yangtze River. In general, such analyses are welcomed because of the actual problems not only in the analyzed area in China but also worldwide. Also, I must say, compliments for the thorough and detailed analysis of these topics regarding the Three Gorgeous Dams, the mentioned river, and the entire watershed, provided by authors from China and abroad. This provides powerful insight into the analyzed topic of these rivers from the perspectives of hydrology, electroenergetics, economics, and other disciplines. 

The paper is well-structured and provides a scientific and practical perspective on the analyzed problem. Literature review gives insight into the problems which author want to solve, sue to the insight and comparing of the actual state-of-the-art of analyzed topic. But there is a major lack, which should be eliminated, and due to this, the paper has to be corrected.

Authors are doing analysis based on the most commonly used time series analysis methods. This is alright, but it should be extended. For example, the real conxlusions cann ot be made by only the application of these methods. In order to do this, and also to extend the scientific contribution of the paper, the authors should check if there are some irregular parts of the analyzed time series of flow and deposit. Also, a consistency of the data should be tested. I am proposing the application of the Rescaled Adjusted Partial Sums (RAPS9 method, as well as IPTA or ITA (or a similar family of the mentioned methods) for testing the homogeneity and isotropy of the input data. Such will lead to more robust conclusions. 

Author Response

The response to this reviewer's comments can be found in the uploaded document.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors made corrections due to my comments. RASP and IPTA methods were included; all analysis is provided correctly. Also, the conclusions favor my proposal and now offer the strongest insight into the properties of the analyzed time series.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,   I sincerely appreciate your recognition on the revised manuscript. Thank you also for the valuable suggestions you provided earlier; it is precisely based on these suggestions that the revised manuscript has met your approval.   Best regards,   Suiji Wang