Chapter 14
Water Resource Allocation
and Regulation in Yellow River Basin
Abstract This chapter introduces water resource allocation and regulation in the
Yellow River Basin. The water resources, problems, and their evolution in the river
basin are presented. The water resource allocation and changes to the basin plan
are analyzed. The water resource regulations at different levels are discussed. At
the same time, the water trade, from agricultural savings to industry in the middle
reach of the basin, is investigated. The water resource allocation and regulation in
the Yellow River Basin is the first modern and most important case of a water rights
system in water resources management in China. The allocation target in the Yellow
River has changed several times to improve management, from runoff to both surface
and groundwater resources, from mainstream to all river basin, and from usage to
consumption. At the same time, there have been several technical and managerial
linkage issues in the implementation.
Keywords Water resources allocation and regulation · Yellow river basin · Water
trade · Allocation target change · Technical and managerial linkage
14.1 Introduction
The Yellow River provides the first modern example of water resource allocation
and regulation in China. It continues to provide an important guide for determining
how water resources are allocated and managed in river basins in China, especially
in northern China.
The Yellow River is the second largest river in China, with a 5,464 km long mainstream and a catchment of 795,000 km
2 (including a 42,000 km
2 inland catchment).
The river passes through the provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner
The chapter is based on Shen, D. (2009) Water resources allocation in People’s Republic of China.
International journal of water resources development, 25(2): 209-225; Shen, D. (2007) Theory
and application of water resources allocation. China Water and Power Publisher: Beijing. Shen
et al. (2020) Water rights system in the Yellow River Basin: problems, challenges, and suggestions,
Resources sciences, 42(1): 46–56.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Shen, Water Resources Management of the People’s Republic of China,
Global Issues in Water Policy 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61931-2_14
291
Water Resource Allocation
and Regulation in Yellow River Basin
Abstract This chapter introduces water resource allocation and regulation in the
Yellow River Basin. The water resources, problems, and their evolution in the river
basin are presented. The water resource allocation and changes to the basin plan
are analyzed. The water resource regulations at different levels are discussed. At
the same time, the water trade, from agricultural savings to industry in the middle
reach of the basin, is investigated. The water resource allocation and regulation in
the Yellow River Basin is the first modern and most important case of a water rights
system in water resources management in China. The allocation target in the Yellow
River has changed several times to improve management, from runoff to both surface
and groundwater resources, from mainstream to all river basin, and from usage to
consumption. At the same time, there have been several technical and managerial
linkage issues in the implementation.
Keywords Water resources allocation and regulation · Yellow river basin · Water
trade · Allocation target change · Technical and managerial linkage
14.1 Introduction
The Yellow River provides the first modern example of water resource allocation
and regulation in China. It continues to provide an important guide for determining
how water resources are allocated and managed in river basins in China, especially
in northern China.
The Yellow River is the second largest river in China, with a 5,464 km long mainstream and a catchment of 795,000 km
2 (including a 42,000 km
2 inland catchment).
The river passes through the provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner
The chapter is based on Shen, D. (2009) Water resources allocation in People’s Republic of China.
International journal of water resources development, 25(2): 209-225; Shen, D. (2007) Theory
and application of water resources allocation. China Water and Power Publisher: Beijing. Shen
et al. (2020) Water rights system in the Yellow River Basin: problems, challenges, and suggestions,
Resources sciences, 42(1): 46–56.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Shen, Water Resources Management of the People’s Republic of China,
Global Issues in Water Policy 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61931-2_14
291