A cusp catastrophe model for analyzing sudden channel shifting in wandering reach of the Lower Yellow River.

Sudden channel shifting of wandering rivers poses significant challenges for river engineering, flood control strategies, and the security of water resources. This study proposes a novel analytical model to quantitatively assess such channel shifts based on the cusp catastrophe theory. Utilizing bathymetric data from 93 river sections collected biannually between 2015 and 2019, a comprehensive investigation of channel instability in the wandering reach of the Lower Yellow River was conducted.