Abstract:In view of the lack of long-term river monitoring data in river source regions, it is difficult to determine the migration rate of river bends. Through field investigation and sampling in the Yellow River source region in 2016 and 2017, nine river bends of the Baihe River, a typical meandering river, were selected as research examples. The ages of trees were determined by tree rings analysis, and a method for estimating the migration rate of river bends based on the relationship between tree positions and tree ages according to vegetation succession of trees growing on scroll bars in convex bank was used. The migration rates of nine river bends of the Baihe River were estimated to be 0. 38-6. 10 m/a, and the migration rates were found to be related to the flow rate, channel slope, height of the concave bank and width of the river valley. The maximum migration rate appears in the No. 9 river bend where the river curvature is the smallest.