Consolidated Research Dataset from the Engineered River Pulse Study in the Yellow River Estuary and Laizhou Bay (2024)

Human engineering of river fluxes is a primary driver of coastal ecosystem change, often linked to hypoxia. However, the Yellow River's annual Water-Sediment Regulation Scheme (WSRS) presents a paradox: its high nitrogen loads and strong stratification are classic hypoxia precursors, yet bottom waters remain oxygenated. Here, using surveys spanning the 2024 WSRS, we resolve this paradox. We demonstrate a "Geochemical Brake" where the sediment pulse functions as a "phosphate sponge," creating strong P-limitation that caps eutrophication. Critically, we quantify a "Biogeophysical Brake": rapid sediment burial of bloom-derived organic matter sequesters a potential oxygen demand of 10800-15800 tonnes O2, a load sufficient to have triggered severe hypoxia. This dual-action "Sediment Brake" reveals a critical, engineered resilience in Anthropocene estuaries and highlights the need for integrated source-to-sea sediment management.