<p>Sediment transport plays a crucial role in river basin management, yet it is heavily influenced by factors such as vegetation cover. This study aims to analyze the long-term changes in sediment load and the impact of vegetation cover within buffer zones along the river network in the upper Qin River basin, China. Using the double mass curve (DMC) method, we first analyzed the co-evolution of hydrological data (annual rainfall, discharge, and sediment load) from 1960 to 2020. Then, based on the time-series remote sensing data, the Kendall correlation method was employed to assess the relationship between sediment load and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within different buffer zones along the river network. The results indicate that while rainfall and discharge in the upper Qin River Basin slightly increased from 1960 to 2020, sediment load significantly declined, particularly after 2000. Although NDVI generally increased, no significant relationship was found between vegetation cover changes and sediment load across the broader plains’ river network. However, within the 30–90&#xa0;m buffer zone around the river network, areas with lower vegetation cover were strongly associated with increased sediment load, while areas with medium to high vegetation cover were linked to reduced sediment load. Beyond 90&#xa0;m from the river network, the correlation between vegetation and sediment load was negligible. These findings highlight the critical role of buffer zone vegetation in managing sediment transport and emphasize the need for further research to improve sediment management strategies with higher-resolution data and better understanding of vegetation dynamics.</p>