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4 River Basin Management
the RBO is directly responsible for design and construction management. After
construction, the project is either directly managed by the RBO or delegated
to the relevant local department with integrated regulations for flood control or
interprovincial water supply.
(5) The RBO is generally responsible for the plan, design, and quality supervision
of integrated water resource utilization projects within the river basin comprehensive plan, such as the Gezhouba or the Three Gorges Project in Yangtze
River. However, the RBO is generally not in charge of the construction and
operational management of these projects.
(6) The RBO is responsible for managing key river courses and lakes. The management authority and scope in river course and water resource management
between the RBO and local agencies were clarified after 1991. All large-scale
construction projects within the scope of river basin plan control river sections
interprovincial or provincial boundary river sections must be reviewed and
approved by RBOs. Water abstraction above the quota within the river section
must be approved by RBOs.
(7) The RBO directly manages and operates sensitive interprovincial river or lake
control projects as well as other water-related activities, such as construction
projects and water abstraction.
(8) The RBO coordinates and handles interprovincial water disputes.
4.6 Summary
This chapter has focused on river basin management in China. The major river
basins, their water resources and key issues have been introduced and analyzed.
Legal arrangements, key river basin management systems, and river basin organization and development processes have been studied. Ultimately, the characteristics,
experiences, and lessons of river basin management in China have been summarized.
Under China’s political system, 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 water-related laws in China. In the beginning
of the 1950s, China developed a water sector based on its planned economy and
gradually 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.
4 River Basin Management
the RBO is directly responsible for design and construction management. After
construction, the project is either directly managed by the RBO or delegated
to the relevant local department with integrated regulations for flood control or
interprovincial water supply.
(5) The RBO is generally responsible for the plan, design, and quality supervision
of integrated water resource utilization projects within the river basin comprehensive plan, such as the Gezhouba or the Three Gorges Project in Yangtze
River. However, the RBO is generally not in charge of the construction and
operational management of these projects.
(6) The RBO is responsible for managing key river courses and lakes. The management authority and scope in river course and water resource management
between the RBO and local agencies were clarified after 1991. All large-scale
construction projects within the scope of river basin plan control river sections
interprovincial or provincial boundary river sections must be reviewed and
approved by RBOs. Water abstraction above the quota within the river section
must be approved by RBOs.
(7) The RBO directly manages and operates sensitive interprovincial river or lake
control projects as well as other water-related activities, such as construction
projects and water abstraction.
(8) The RBO coordinates and handles interprovincial water disputes.
4.6 Summary
This chapter has focused on river basin management in China. The major river
basins, their water resources and key issues have been introduced and analyzed.
Legal arrangements, key river basin management systems, and river basin organization and development processes have been studied. Ultimately, the characteristics,
experiences, and lessons of river basin management in China have been summarized.
Under China’s political system, 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 water-related laws in China. In the beginning
of the 1950s, China developed a water sector based on its planned economy and
gradually 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.