Chapter 4
River Basin Management
Abstract This chapter has focused on river basin management in China. The major
river basins, their water resources, and key issues have been introduced. Legal
arrangements, key river basin management systems, and river basin organization
and development processes have been studied. The characteristics, experiences, and
lessons of river basin management in China have been summarized. A national
unified approach for river basin management has been adopted, regardless of the
significant differences between these river basins. Authority for the management of
inter-jurisdictional river basins is derived from the national government and waterrelated laws in China. In the beginning of the 1950s, China formed a water management institution focused on water project construction. However, this created challenges, such as neglecting or rejecting the water resource benefits from river basin
management and multi-purpose utilization of local and departmental interests. The
country established and strengthened the river basin management institutions in the
seven major river basins. Now, a river basin management model with Chinese characteristics based on planning and coordination has been formed, making river basin
management an important factor in promoting integrated development and management of China’s water resources. The RBO has become an important institution
linking jurisdictional management and river basin management.
Keywords River basin management · River basin management organization ·
National unified approach · Jurisdictional management and river basin management
The chapter is based on Shen D (2005) Water related risk management in China: a legal and
institutional overview. Water International, 30(3): 329–338; Shen, D (2004) The 2002 Water Law
and its impacts on riverbasin management in China. Water Policy. 8: 345–364; and Shen D (2009)
River basin water resources management in China: a legal and institutional assessment. Water
International, 34(4): 484–496.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Shen, Water Resources Management of the People’s Republic of China,
Global Issues in Water Policy 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61931-2_4
85
River Basin Management
Abstract This chapter has focused on river basin management in China. The major
river basins, their water resources, and key issues have been introduced. Legal
arrangements, key river basin management systems, and river basin organization
and development processes have been studied. The characteristics, experiences, and
lessons of river basin management in China have been summarized. A national
unified approach for river basin management has been adopted, regardless of the
significant differences between these river basins. Authority for the management of
inter-jurisdictional river basins is derived from the national government and waterrelated laws in China. In the beginning of the 1950s, China formed a water management institution focused on water project construction. However, this created challenges, such as neglecting or rejecting the water resource benefits from river basin
management and multi-purpose utilization of local and departmental interests. The
country established and strengthened the river basin management institutions in the
seven major river basins. Now, a river basin management model with Chinese characteristics based on planning and coordination has been formed, making river basin
management an important factor in promoting integrated development and management of China’s water resources. The RBO has become an important institution
linking jurisdictional management and river basin management.
Keywords River basin management · River basin management organization ·
National unified approach · Jurisdictional management and river basin management
The chapter is based on Shen D (2005) Water related risk management in China: a legal and
institutional overview. Water International, 30(3): 329–338; Shen, D (2004) The 2002 Water Law
and its impacts on riverbasin management in China. Water Policy. 8: 345–364; and Shen D (2009)
River basin water resources management in China: a legal and institutional assessment. Water
International, 34(4): 484–496.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Shen, Water Resources Management of the People’s Republic of China,
Global Issues in Water Policy 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61931-2_4
85