8.4 Suggestions to Improve Groundwater Management in China
195
Water resources
management agency
Groundwater abstractor
Groundwater abstractor
Groundwater abstractor
Groundwater abstractor
……
Water resources
management agency
Village or WUA
Village or WUA
Village or WUA
……
Groundwater abstractor
Groundwater abstractor
Groundwater abstractor
Groundwater abstractor
……
Fig. 8.5 Management structure reform for groundwater abstraction permit. Permission granted by
Dajun Shen
mechanisms could also be applied. Pollution source control and aquifer protection
should both be emphasized.
Building capacity for better management
The basic technical capacity to support groundwater resources management needs to
be strengthened significantly in China. A national groundwater monitoring system
should be developed, and a system for managing and sharing the data must also
be established. A national groundwater resources assessment should be conducted
regularly based on this monitoring system. Metering facilities, required by legislation,
must be installed and kept in good maintenance for all wells, utilizing automatic
remote metering systems. Professional training should be provided for managers. In
addition, sound groundwater management models should be developed to provide a
decision-making tool.