Using Multi-Source Data to Assess the Hydrologic Alteration and Extremes under a Changing Environment in the Yalong River Basin

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors and Editor,

I have added my comments on the attached fmanuscript.

Best Wishes.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

I have provided my comments in the attached file

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

This article analyzes multi-source precipitation, runoff, evaporation, and terrestrial water storage data to investigate the variation of the hydrological cycle in the basin induced by hydroelectric dams in the Yalong River mainstream.

Due to the fact that it is the main core of the paper, I would suggest better contextualizing the novelties of the case study. I have also noticed that the part related to climate change is relatively small and stifle compared to the part devoted to the assessment of dams impacts in the Yalong River mainstream. What’s about removing the former and devoting the last part to a deeper discussion of the results?  The paper message, otherwise, could be too diluted and not clear. I finally suggest shrinking the data description.

 

Here other comments:

 

Please add the following reference at line 7: “Detailed simulation of storage hydropower systems in large Alpine watersheds'', Journal of Hydrology. This would support the sentence “ changing environment that affects the variability of the hydrological cycle and river regime”.

 

Line 67: Please add the following reference in order to broad climate scenario applicability: “Analysis of high streamflow extremes in climate change studies: How do we calibrate hydrological models?, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences”.

 

I would suggest adding some references supporting data sources in section 2.2. Here some example: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1312330110, for the ISIMIP; DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3_745 for GRACE; https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-1903-2017 for GLEAM; and so on.

 

Could the authors provide a map with the river network and the integrated hydropower system topology? This could help the reader in contextualizing table 1.

 

Please check the indentation of paper paragraphs.  

 

Formula 1 is not clear. What are the meanings of its terms: observed frequency and  targeted frequency. 

 

Fig.9 is not clear: what is the meaning of the black points? Could the authors provide all the details of the plot? What is the horizontal line? How do you choose the bar extension? Are the vertical lines referring to the min and max value, respectively?

 

Why is Figure 10 shown? I suggest removing that figure. 

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Accept in present form

Reviewer 3 Report

In in the present form, I find the paper worth publishing. I still believe that the part related to climate change is not delivering the right message. This is, however, a personal opinion. The paper is indeed well structured, the novelties are now clear and results support author's conclusions.