Search

A Coupled Infrastructure Systems perspective is applied to three cases in north-western China to explain how and why water rights systems and water markets have changed since 1949. The evolution of...

Urban water governance in China has received increasing academic and policy attention owing to frequent urban water crises. Drawing on documentary analysis and field investigations, this article an...

This study uses web-based information to explore the spatial and temporal trends of reported city flood events for all mainland China cities from 1984 to 2015. Panel data were compiled on flooding ...

Since the concept of virtual water was put forward, there has been an increasing number of papers on the topic, as a result of which virtual water is now being mainstreamed in the water policy world. Unfortunately, virtual water trade strategy as a solution to water shortages is wrong and fallacious. Although the virtual water trade theory is considered a descendant of the comparative advantage theory of economics, it is in fact an over-simplification, going from the truth to fallacy. To make decisions of virtual water trade based on only one production factor, water, though there are many other production factors that influence the allocation of resources at the same time, is misleading theoretically and practically.

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 km3 and 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.

Correlation analysis and a water productivity indicator are used to investigate the inverse relationship between increasing grain output and declining irrigation water use in Hebei Province, People's Republic of China, especially since 2003. A rapid improvement in water productivity more than offset the decline in available water even in one of the most water-stressed areas of north China. As long as this trend continues, there is little need for concern about a grain production crisis induced by water shortage.

This book is excellent reading for all researchers, consultants and policy makers who are seeking to implement sound water management practices as part of the ‘green economy’ agenda.First impressio...

Since the 1950s, the major gauging stations along the Yellow River have recorded a trend of decline in measured discharge. During the 1990s, the Yellow River once became seasonal and sent no water to the sea for several months in a year. This study investigates changes in the availability of water resources and water use at different sections of the Yellow River and in different economic sectors in the basin. Some hard and soft landing measures in dealing with basin closure are introduced and policy implications regarding the reallocation of water resources are addressed.

Potential assessment of water resources development (PAWRD) is very important for regional water management, water allocation, water transfer, and economic planning, especially for today's China, which is under a rapid economic growth, a continued expansion of population, and an increasingly deteriorating eco-environment. In this work, the southern part of Haihe River (SPHR) is selected as the representative area of the North China Region for a case study based on considerations such as available data, geographic characteristics, administrative boundaries, and the state of water shortage. A growth pattern of regional water resources development is presented. A fuzzy assessment model is established and applied to determine the growth stage, an indicator for water resources devel- opment potential. Seven assessment factors, selected based on the conditions of supply, demand, and use efficiency of water subjected to the regional physical, social, and economic settings, include irrigation rate of arable land, exploitation rate of water resources, the water-saving level, a water supply and demand modulus, the water supply per capita, and the ratio of eco-environmental water use. These factors are integrated into the fuzzy assessment model, which is shown to be capable and effective for potential assessment. The assessment results demonstrate the potential of water resources development is little in SPHR and are substantiated by the necessity of the middle route of the South-North Water Transfer (SNWT) in the long run. It is also suggested at present that promoting water saving and strengthening water demand controls would be the most feasible and effective solution to mitigate water shortage stress of SPHR before the SNWT scheme is implemented. PAWRD provides a scientific tool for water-demand management and water-saving improvement, as well as a necessary basis for decision- making for economy planning and water transfer design.