Why are spring floods on the Amur River smaller than its summer monsoon floods?

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Topographic map of the Amur River basin and its drainage network, covering parts of northeastern China, eastern Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, shows major rivers and tributaries, surrounding mountain ranges, swamps, marshes, and lakes, and includes a locator inset of the region within Asia. Major cities, railways, and dams are also marked. — Amur River The Amur River basin and its drainage network.

The spring floods on the Amur River are smaller than the summer monsoon floods because they are primarily fed by the runoff from melting snow, whereas the summer and autumn floods are driven by heavy monsoon rains.1

These monsoon rains provide a much larger volume of water, leading to a prolonged flood season that extends from May to October. During this period, the river can rise significantly—up to 26 feet (8 metres) in the upper reaches—whereas the spring snowmelt contributes a comparatively minor increase in water levels.1