8.2 Groundwater Management System in China
189
a reduction volume of 1.497 billion m
3 (Water Resources Management Center, MWR
2018).
Water resources justification for construction projects
Under China’s water resources management system, preparing a water resources
justification report for construction projects is a prerequisite of the water abstraction
permit system and provides the technical assessment for permit approval. The 2002
Management Methods of Water Resources Justification for Construction Projects
issued by the MWR and the National Planning Commission stipulates that for new
and revised construction projects that are required to apply for permits, the owner of
the construction project should compile a water resources justification report.
According to the technical guidelines, the report should consist of four sections:
a water abstraction sources assessment, a water use analysis, an evaluation of return
flow and its impact on the water environment, and a consideration of impact on other
water users. In relation to groundwater, the system requires the owner to prepare a
geo-hydrological environment analysis, an analysis and calculation of the groundwater resources and exploitable volume, a groundwater quality analysis, a forecast of
the water table after development, and a water abstraction reliability and feasibility
analysis.
The justification report system has been fully operational in China since 2002, but
any development undertaken before 2002 has not been assessed. Moreover, given that
most groundwater infrastructure currently causing overdraft was developed before
2002, it is not captured by this system.
Water abstraction permit
The water abstraction permit is the system used to manage individual water abstraction activities. The State Council’s 2006 Regulation on the Management of Water
Abstraction Permits and Water Resources Fee Collection regulates all water abstraction facilities, including sluices, dams, canals, water pumps, water wells, and
hydropower stations, except those utilized for taking a small quantity of water for
domestic purposes and for watering livestock, or cases of emergency use. Specific
to groundwater, Article 7 of the Regulation requires that the total approved groundwater abstraction volume should not exceed the groundwater exploitable volume of
the administrative region; Article 20 stipulates that abstractions in FDZs will not be
approved. Article 41 entitles the approval agency to limit the annual water abstraction
if there is severe groundwater overdraft or if groundwater development causes land
subsidence.
The water abstraction permit system has been implemented for more than 20 years.
In 2017, 83.2% of the 349,187 permits issued are sourced from groundwater in China
(Water Resources Management Center, MWR 2018). Compared to the number of
tube wells, however, it is clear that most groundwater is being developed without
permits. Indeed, currently almost all agricultural groundwater abstractions lack
permits.
189
a reduction volume of 1.497 billion m
3 (Water Resources Management Center, MWR
2018).
Water resources justification for construction projects
Under China’s water resources management system, preparing a water resources
justification report for construction projects is a prerequisite of the water abstraction
permit system and provides the technical assessment for permit approval. The 2002
Management Methods of Water Resources Justification for Construction Projects
issued by the MWR and the National Planning Commission stipulates that for new
and revised construction projects that are required to apply for permits, the owner of
the construction project should compile a water resources justification report.
According to the technical guidelines, the report should consist of four sections:
a water abstraction sources assessment, a water use analysis, an evaluation of return
flow and its impact on the water environment, and a consideration of impact on other
water users. In relation to groundwater, the system requires the owner to prepare a
geo-hydrological environment analysis, an analysis and calculation of the groundwater resources and exploitable volume, a groundwater quality analysis, a forecast of
the water table after development, and a water abstraction reliability and feasibility
analysis.
The justification report system has been fully operational in China since 2002, but
any development undertaken before 2002 has not been assessed. Moreover, given that
most groundwater infrastructure currently causing overdraft was developed before
2002, it is not captured by this system.
Water abstraction permit
The water abstraction permit is the system used to manage individual water abstraction activities. The State Council’s 2006 Regulation on the Management of Water
Abstraction Permits and Water Resources Fee Collection regulates all water abstraction facilities, including sluices, dams, canals, water pumps, water wells, and
hydropower stations, except those utilized for taking a small quantity of water for
domestic purposes and for watering livestock, or cases of emergency use. Specific
to groundwater, Article 7 of the Regulation requires that the total approved groundwater abstraction volume should not exceed the groundwater exploitable volume of
the administrative region; Article 20 stipulates that abstractions in FDZs will not be
approved. Article 41 entitles the approval agency to limit the annual water abstraction
if there is severe groundwater overdraft or if groundwater development causes land
subsidence.
The water abstraction permit system has been implemented for more than 20 years.
In 2017, 83.2% of the 349,187 permits issued are sourced from groundwater in China
(Water Resources Management Center, MWR 2018). Compared to the number of
tube wells, however, it is clear that most groundwater is being developed without
permits. Indeed, currently almost all agricultural groundwater abstractions lack
permits.