8.2 Groundwater Management System in China
185
urban groundwater monitoring and evaluation activities and develops thegroundwater management and monitoring network. Article 6 of the 2009 Yunnan Province
Groundwater Management Methods stipulates that the water administrative department is responsible for integrated groundwater management and supervision, while
the land and resources administrative department is responsible for managing groundwater with mineral resources characteristics (including geothermal water, mineral
spring water, etc.). The other relevant departments, including the urban and rural
construction administrative department and environmental protection department,
are involved ingroundwater management according to their general responsibilities.
Thus, although China combines river basin and jurisdictional approaches to
managing its water resources, in practice, jurisdictional management takes precedence in relation to groundwater. It follows that provinces could adopt different
arrangements based on local requirements. Therefore, before the 2018 governmental restructuring, the general groundwater management institutional framework
in China was as follows: (1) the water administrative department was responsible
for the quantitative management and protection of groundwater resources; (2) the
land and resources department was responsible for the management of groundwater
with mineral characteristics in some regions; (3) the urban and rural construction
department was responsible for groundwater management in some urban areas; and
(4) the environmental protection department and the agricultural department were
responsible for groundwater resources protection in some regions.
During the 2018 governmental restructuring, with the rearrangement of water
resources management responsibilities, the groundwater management agencies and
their functions underwent the following significant reforms: (1) the MNR was tasked
with groundwater investigation and rights clarification and registration; (2) the MWR
was made responsible for groundwater management; and (3) the MEE was given
responsibility for groundwater quality and pollution control.
There are some river basin approaches to groundwater management. RBOs are
responsible for water resources justification and water abstraction permit management for some groundwater projects. For example, Article 10 of the 2002 Water
Resources Justification Management Method for Construction Projects stipulates
that the relevant RBO must approve water resources justification reports for centralized groundwater supply sources with a daily capacity of more than 50,000 tons.
Moreover, the approval and issuance of water abstraction permits for groundwater
abstraction in those river sections exceeding 20,000 tons daily should be conducted
by RBOs (MWR 1994a, b).
Thus, under the general framework of 2002 the Water Law, groundwater management institutions in China are locally designed: in one aspect, the urban and rural
boundary is used as a rule, while in other aspects, the explanation of groundwater is
applied as a principle, such as for mineral resources; additionally, quantity and quality
are employed as a guideline. Since 2018, there has been a separation between quantity
and quality management and between resources assessment and use management.
Therefore, it is clear that coordination mechanisms of some kind need to be developed among these agencies to facilitate the integrated management of groundwater
resources and reduce administrative conflicts.
185
urban groundwater monitoring and evaluation activities and develops thegroundwater management and monitoring network. Article 6 of the 2009 Yunnan Province
Groundwater Management Methods stipulates that the water administrative department is responsible for integrated groundwater management and supervision, while
the land and resources administrative department is responsible for managing groundwater with mineral resources characteristics (including geothermal water, mineral
spring water, etc.). The other relevant departments, including the urban and rural
construction administrative department and environmental protection department,
are involved ingroundwater management according to their general responsibilities.
Thus, although China combines river basin and jurisdictional approaches to
managing its water resources, in practice, jurisdictional management takes precedence in relation to groundwater. It follows that provinces could adopt different
arrangements based on local requirements. Therefore, before the 2018 governmental restructuring, the general groundwater management institutional framework
in China was as follows: (1) the water administrative department was responsible
for the quantitative management and protection of groundwater resources; (2) the
land and resources department was responsible for the management of groundwater
with mineral characteristics in some regions; (3) the urban and rural construction
department was responsible for groundwater management in some urban areas; and
(4) the environmental protection department and the agricultural department were
responsible for groundwater resources protection in some regions.
During the 2018 governmental restructuring, with the rearrangement of water
resources management responsibilities, the groundwater management agencies and
their functions underwent the following significant reforms: (1) the MNR was tasked
with groundwater investigation and rights clarification and registration; (2) the MWR
was made responsible for groundwater management; and (3) the MEE was given
responsibility for groundwater quality and pollution control.
There are some river basin approaches to groundwater management. RBOs are
responsible for water resources justification and water abstraction permit management for some groundwater projects. For example, Article 10 of the 2002 Water
Resources Justification Management Method for Construction Projects stipulates
that the relevant RBO must approve water resources justification reports for centralized groundwater supply sources with a daily capacity of more than 50,000 tons.
Moreover, the approval and issuance of water abstraction permits for groundwater
abstraction in those river sections exceeding 20,000 tons daily should be conducted
by RBOs (MWR 1994a, b).
Thus, under the general framework of 2002 the Water Law, groundwater management institutions in China are locally designed: in one aspect, the urban and rural
boundary is used as a rule, while in other aspects, the explanation of groundwater is
applied as a principle, such as for mineral resources; additionally, quantity and quality
are employed as a guideline. Since 2018, there has been a separation between quantity
and quality management and between resources assessment and use management.
Therefore, it is clear that coordination mechanisms of some kind need to be developed among these agencies to facilitate the integrated management of groundwater
resources and reduce administrative conflicts.