The Tibetan Plateau

known as the "Asian Water Tower

" is essential in terms of hydrology

climate

and ecology. At the moment

our understanding of the hydrological functions of the water tower is mostly focused on its storage function

with little attention paid to its regulation function and mechanism. In terms of watershed preservation and regulation

this study describes the hydrological functions of the water tower’s water storage and regulation

and the hydrological functions and storage-regulation mechanism of multi-phase water towers. The Tibetan Plateau Water Tower not just has a powerful function of water storage

but plays other roles－redistributing precipitation over the water tower region; adjusting the runoff and its distribution within a year in the non-water tower regions

and regulating water resources such as precipitation

surface water

soil water

and groundwater in the basin. This study helps lay a basis for assessing the ecological and hydrological impact of the water tower on the upper and lower basins of the plateau

useful for protection and regulation of the water tower on the basins

so as to meet the production

living

and ecological water needs of this region and its surroundings through rational planning of water conservancy projects.