%0 Journal Article %A Chun Qin %A Bao Yang %A Iris Burchardt %A Xiaoli Hu %A Xingcheng Kang %+ Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Donggang West Road, 730000 Lanzhou, China;;MOE Key Laboratory of West China's Environmental System College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China;;Institute of Geography, University of Erlangen, Kochstrasse 4/4, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany %T Intensified pluvial conditions during the twentieth century in the inland Heihe River Basin in arid northwestern China over the past millennium %J Global and Planetary Change %D 2010 %N 3 %V 72 %K tree rings;dendrohydrology;streamflow variability;the Heihe River;arid northwest China;last millennium %X Abstract(#br)Past streamflow variability is of special significance in the inland river basin, i.e., the Heihe River Basin in arid northwestern China, where water shortage is a serious environmental and social problem. However, the current knowledge of issues related to regional water resources management and long-term planning and management is limited by the lack of long-term hydro-meteorological records. Here we present a 1009-year annual streamflow (August–July) reconstruction for the upstream of the Heihe River in the arid northwestern China based on a well-replicated Qilian juniper ( Sabina przewalskii Kom.) ring-width chronology. This reconstruction accounts for 46.9% of the observed instrumental streamflow variance during the period 1958–2006. Considerable multidecadal to centennial flow variations below and above the long-term average are displayed in the millennium streamflow reconstruction. These periods 1012–1053, 1104–1212, 1259–1352, 1442–1499, 1593–1739 and 1789–1884 are noteworthy for the persistence of low-level river flow, and for the fact that these low streamflow events are not found in the observed instrumental hydrological record during the recent 50years. The 20th century witnessed intensified pluvial conditions in the upstream of the Heihe River in the arid northwestern China in the context of the last millennium. Comparison with other long-term hydrological reconstructions indicates that the intensification of the hydrological cycle in the twentieth century from different regions could be attributable to regional to large-scale temperature increase during this time. Furthermore, from a practical perspective, the streamflow reconstruction can serve as a robust database for the government to work out more scientific and more reasonable water allocation alternatives for the Heihe River Basin in arid northwestern China. %@ 0921-8181 %W CNKI