The Yinshan mountain range which forms the northern
boundary of the Yellow River basin borders the
Hetou irrigation region in Inner Mongolia and
shelters it from the fierce northwester
which brings sand and dust to the entire
North China plain. From the looks of it,
these mountain peaks may contribute a substantial
amount of the transported sand and dust.
Picture source: YRCC, Huanghe Liuyu Ditu Ji,
China Atlas Pub House, 1989.