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This paper measures the performance and efficiency dynamics of provincial water use by differentiating the long-run persistent efficiency from the short-run transient efficiency. We combine the econometric frontier approach with panel Markov-switching and Tobit estimations to investigate the macro level data over the period 2002–2016. The results reveal evidence of significant provincial and regional disparities, with a mean efficiency of 0.42 in terms of water use. We find that a large share of inefficiency is attributed to the long-term structural component, with persistency inefficiency estimated as 55%. We also find that the probability of maintaining efficient is less sustainable (about 48.5% by the sixth year) compared with 54.3% for staying inefficient. Thus, it is relatively difficult to transition out of the less efficient state. We thus suggest policy directions for sustainable and efficient management of water resource use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A constrained total water-use policy has been implemented to maintain sustainable water supply in some water shortage areas. Managing a constrained water-use quota (T) in water allocation is a challenging goal. This paper proposes a new framework for water allocation under total water-use constraint by utilizing the concept of the Newsboy model, commonly used in operations management and applied economics, and applying it to the Dongjiang River Basin, South China. This framework considersTas a state variable of the objective function, rather than simply dealing with it as a constraint of multi-objective analysis. Using this framework, it is revealed how different schemes ofTplay out in water allocation, and water-use warning is provided for each sector and water governor in water resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ecological degradation is a key factor limiting sustainable development. Artificial afforestation has chiefly been used to combat it, especially in China. In order to contain rocky desertification and ecological and environmental degradation in Southwest China, the Government of China has planted 6000 km2 of trees in this region since the year 2000. Yet, the resultant water consumption of artificial afforestation has had a significant influence on water resource supplies in Southwest China, and its internal mechanisms remain largely unclear. Studies in Southwest China have shown that artificial afforestation has degraded the natural water balance in Yunnan Province because of the elevated evapotranspiration levels associated with manmade forests. Accordingly, such increases in evapotranspiration have disturbed the water resource balance of the region. It is been suggested that natural restoration practices should therefore be encouraged in this region or plants that consume less water should be grown in place of artificial afforestation. This study sheds some light on the cycles of local water resources and the stimulus of climate change to access ways by which to afforest Yunnan Province sustainably and successfully. It also presents a strong argument on how to use water resources to enable vegetation construction initiatives in Yunnan Province while avoiding potential ecological risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional sustainable development is a critical requirement for natural resources management and socio-economic sustainability, in which water resource is one of the most important supports. The present study proposed a method to calculate water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) and water environmental carrying capacity (WECC) to assess the scale of economy and population that the local water resources can support in Yinchuan City, a semi-arid area in Northwest China. Carrying population and gross domestic product (GDP) were selected as the characteristic indices of carrying capacity. The urban water demand and supply data were used to calculate the WRCC, NH3–N and chemical oxygen demand with K2Cr2O7 as the oxidizing agent (CODCr) were used to calculate the WECC. Carrying index was employed to assess the carrying status and risk of water resources and environment in 2010, 2015 and 2020, respectively. The results show that the environmental capacity of Yinchuan in terms of NH3–N in different years can carry higher GDP than the CODCr water environment, and the CODCr WECC in terms of GDP is always the lowest among the three years. It can be seen that the WECC of CODCr imposes the strictest restrictions on water utilization in Yinchuan city. The risk assessment of the carrying capacity indicates that CODCr pollution in 2015 is at unacceptable risk level. The CODCr pollution is a key factor affecting the economic and social development of Yinchuan city. The assessment results are beneficial to the assessment of WRCC and WECC in other similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article employs the case of the Yellow River basin to advance understanding of the water–energy–food nexus by demonstrating how the country’s energy and agriculture sectors are competing for limited water supplies and by quantifying the future water demands in the two sectors. The results show that in 2030 the water demands for food and energy are likely to increase by less than 4 km3and 1 km3, respectively, in the Yellow River basin. The analysis suggests that agricultural water savings and inter-basin water transfers are the main ways to ensure sufficient water flows through the basin to fulfil demand for both sectors while preserving the natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]