What role does loess play in the Yellow River’s sediment load?

The Yellow River carries the highest concentration of sediment of any river in the world, a phenomenon driven largely by the presence of loess in its middle course.1

As the river flows through the Loess Plateau, it cuts through thick, wind-deposited layers of this loose, easily eroded soil. Because the loess is highly susceptible to erosion, the river carries away massive quantities of this surface material, which constitutes a large portion of its total sediment load.21

This sediment has profound effects on the river's behavior:
* Middle Basin: The rapid erosion of loess contributes to the instability of the riverbed as the water carves deep valleys through the plateau.2
* Lower Basin: As the river reaches the North China Plain, its gradient and velocity decrease, causing the suspended silt to settle. This deposition artificially builds up the riverbed, which necessitates the use of levees and increases the risk of destructive channel shifts and floods.12