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4 River Basin Management
4.1 Major River Basins and Water Resource Development
4.1.1 River Basins and Water Resource Issues in China
In addition to water resource availability among major river basins as discussed
in Chap. 1, the variations in water availability relative to population, arable land,
and economic development in these river basins are numerous. The area south of
the Yangtze accounts for 80.4% of the water but is available for only 53.6% of
the population, 35.2% of the arable land, and 55.5% of the GDP. Per capita water
availability south of the Yangtze is thus almost four times that of north of the Yangtze,
and it is some eight times greater per hectare of arable land. Runoff in the Hai River
Basin is particularly low at only 245 m
3 per capita. Even including the net contribution
of groundwater, the occupation was still only 343 m
3 per capita in 1997. Inland river
basins account for about 35% of the country’s land area and, although availability
per capita is favorable, extreme shortages are faced locally in desert communities
(Table 4.1) (Liu and Chen 2001).
The water resource development among these river basins varies significantly, too.
Table 4.2 provides river basin water resource development for all of China. In 2016,
the total water supply of these river basins was 604.20 km
3 , of which 491.24 km
3
came from surface water and 105.70 km
3 came from groundwater (MWR 2017). In
2016, the water resource development ratio (the ratio between water supply and water
resources availability) of the country was 0.213 but included great differentiation
among major river basins. In the Hai, Huai, and Yellow River Basins, the ratio
reached 0.981, 0.681, and 0.543, respectively. In contrast, in the Yangtze, Pearl, and
Southeast River Basins, the figures were only 0.201, 0.177, and 0.117, respectively.
The Southwest River Basins lowered to 0.018. In terms of groundwater resource
development, in the light of the national average of 0.129, the Hai–Luan River basin
reached 0.830, an indication of aggravated overexploitation of the resources. In the
Huai River Basin, it was almost 0.681, but very few groundwater resources were
exploited in Southern China.
The water resource uses among these river basins are also differentiated. Table 4.3
shows river basin water resource use across the country. In 2016, agricultural water
use represented 62.38% of total water resource use; in the Northeast, Northwest,
and Southwest River Basins, the percentages were all greater than 80%, while in
the Yangtze and Southeast River Basins they were less than 50%. The national
average industrial water use was 21.65% of total water use; the Yangtze and Southeast
River Basins were more than 30%, but the Northwest River Basin only included
2.76% industrial water use. The domestic water use of the country was 13.60%;
the population-dense river basins, including the Southeast and Pearl River Basins,
had more than 18% domestic water use, while the Northwest River Basin only had
2.61%. The variety in water resource development and use among river basins results
in gaps in water problems and water resource management issues. River basins in
Northern China face flood control, water shortage, and pollution issues, while in
4 River Basin Management
4.1 Major River Basins and Water Resource Development
4.1.1 River Basins and Water Resource Issues in China
In addition to water resource availability among major river basins as discussed
in Chap. 1, the variations in water availability relative to population, arable land,
and economic development in these river basins are numerous. The area south of
the Yangtze accounts for 80.4% of the water but is available for only 53.6% of
the population, 35.2% of the arable land, and 55.5% of the GDP. Per capita water
availability south of the Yangtze is thus almost four times that of north of the Yangtze,
and it is some eight times greater per hectare of arable land. Runoff in the Hai River
Basin is particularly low at only 245 m
3 per capita. Even including the net contribution
of groundwater, the occupation was still only 343 m
3 per capita in 1997. Inland river
basins account for about 35% of the country’s land area and, although availability
per capita is favorable, extreme shortages are faced locally in desert communities
(Table 4.1) (Liu and Chen 2001).
The water resource development among these river basins varies significantly, too.
Table 4.2 provides river basin water resource development for all of China. In 2016,
the total water supply of these river basins was 604.20 km
3 , of which 491.24 km
3
came from surface water and 105.70 km
3 came from groundwater (MWR 2017). In
2016, the water resource development ratio (the ratio between water supply and water
resources availability) of the country was 0.213 but included great differentiation
among major river basins. In the Hai, Huai, and Yellow River Basins, the ratio
reached 0.981, 0.681, and 0.543, respectively. In contrast, in the Yangtze, Pearl, and
Southeast River Basins, the figures were only 0.201, 0.177, and 0.117, respectively.
The Southwest River Basins lowered to 0.018. In terms of groundwater resource
development, in the light of the national average of 0.129, the Hai–Luan River basin
reached 0.830, an indication of aggravated overexploitation of the resources. In the
Huai River Basin, it was almost 0.681, but very few groundwater resources were
exploited in Southern China.
The water resource uses among these river basins are also differentiated. Table 4.3
shows river basin water resource use across the country. In 2016, agricultural water
use represented 62.38% of total water resource use; in the Northeast, Northwest,
and Southwest River Basins, the percentages were all greater than 80%, while in
the Yangtze and Southeast River Basins they were less than 50%. The national
average industrial water use was 21.65% of total water use; the Yangtze and Southeast
River Basins were more than 30%, but the Northwest River Basin only included
2.76% industrial water use. The domestic water use of the country was 13.60%;
the population-dense river basins, including the Southeast and Pearl River Basins,
had more than 18% domestic water use, while the Northwest River Basin only had
2.61%. The variety in water resource development and use among river basins results
in gaps in water problems and water resource management issues. River basins in
Northern China face flood control, water shortage, and pollution issues, while in