| Citation: | Xinglong Gong, Aiqi Xu, Shuping Du, Yuan Xu. Exploring the Spatial Distribution and Drivers of Low Flows in the Basins of the United States. Journal of Earth Science, 2026, 37(4): 1802-1814. doi: 10.1007/s12583-023-1919-9
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In recent years, with the change of temperature and the intensification of human activities, the quantitative and spatial patterns of low flows in basins have changed significantly, and the problem of low flows selection has emerged. To address this situation, this study selected 910 basins within the United States that reflect a wide range of climatic characteristics and human activities to assess the spatial patterns of regional low flows. The drivers of environmental change were identified from 40 basin attribute characteristics using various methods such as random forest. The spatial smoothness of low flows was also analyzed using the Moran's Index. We found that the spatial low flow magnitude in the United States is characterized by a gradual decrease and then increase from east to west, similar to the precipitation distribution. Basin area and irrigated area were the main drivers of low flows, and the effects were positive. And it was found that low flow indicators with lower spatial smoothness were more difficult to associate with basin characteristics and to predict and select drivers using random forest models. Our study provides a new perspective to explore the impact of factors such as environmental change on low flow variability.
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