302
14 Water Resource Allocation and Regulation in Yellow River Basin
Based on the experiences in HID, Inner Mongolia has expanded water rights
transfers to other irrigation districts, crossing prefectures. A similar approach has
also been adopted in the Ningxia region. Since 2004, 1 billion m
3 of water has been
transferred to 23 industrial projects.
3
14.5 Discussions
The water resource allocation and regulation in the Yellow River Basin is the first
modern and most important case in river basin water resource management in China.
Its allocation, regulation, and trade provide a model for other river basins in the
country, particularly in northern China. To investigate its development process and
application, some issues are discussed below.
Changes in allocation target and not change in volume
The allocation target in the Yellow River Basin has been changed several times to
improve management. The 1987 plan defined that the 37 billion m
3 available supply
volume was formulated on the runoff forecast by a natural runoff of 58 billion m
3
to deduct a sedimentation transportation runoff of 21 billion m
3 (Office of the State
Council 1987). The 1998 Management Methods of Yellow River Water Resource
Regulation prescribed that the water resource regulation include runoffs in the mainstream and tributaries and reservoir storage, as well as groundwater development. The
2006 Yellow River Water Resources Regulation Management Regulation re-defined
that the available water supply volume is the maximum volume that can supply urban
and rural domestic, agricultural, industrial, and out-of-stream ecological and environmental uses in the annual average natural runoff of the trunk and tributary in the
river basin by deducting necessary sedimentation transportation volumes. The allocation target changes reflect a management improvement process in the river basin
from trunk to both trunk and tributary, runoff to water resources, and surface water
to both surface and groundwater. At the same time, there is no change in volume.
There is a clear reduction of runoff and water resource in the basin due to landscape
change, such as water and soil conservation (Shen et al. 2020), but the allocation
volume does not change.
Consumption-based and all resource allocation
The 1987 plan is a surface water-consumption allocation plan. In fact, examples
from around the world indicate that strengthening the management of one resource
(such as surface water) will push the use of other resources (such as groundwater).
Therefore, sustainable water resources management shall strengthen management of
all resources if necessary. As such, the changes in 1998 address the issue in the 1987
plan.
3 https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2018-10/13/content_5330350.htm.
14 Water Resource Allocation and Regulation in Yellow River Basin
Based on the experiences in HID, Inner Mongolia has expanded water rights
transfers to other irrigation districts, crossing prefectures. A similar approach has
also been adopted in the Ningxia region. Since 2004, 1 billion m
3 of water has been
transferred to 23 industrial projects.
3
14.5 Discussions
The water resource allocation and regulation in the Yellow River Basin is the first
modern and most important case in river basin water resource management in China.
Its allocation, regulation, and trade provide a model for other river basins in the
country, particularly in northern China. To investigate its development process and
application, some issues are discussed below.
Changes in allocation target and not change in volume
The allocation target in the Yellow River Basin has been changed several times to
improve management. The 1987 plan defined that the 37 billion m
3 available supply
volume was formulated on the runoff forecast by a natural runoff of 58 billion m
3
to deduct a sedimentation transportation runoff of 21 billion m
3 (Office of the State
Council 1987). The 1998 Management Methods of Yellow River Water Resource
Regulation prescribed that the water resource regulation include runoffs in the mainstream and tributaries and reservoir storage, as well as groundwater development. The
2006 Yellow River Water Resources Regulation Management Regulation re-defined
that the available water supply volume is the maximum volume that can supply urban
and rural domestic, agricultural, industrial, and out-of-stream ecological and environmental uses in the annual average natural runoff of the trunk and tributary in the
river basin by deducting necessary sedimentation transportation volumes. The allocation target changes reflect a management improvement process in the river basin
from trunk to both trunk and tributary, runoff to water resources, and surface water
to both surface and groundwater. At the same time, there is no change in volume.
There is a clear reduction of runoff and water resource in the basin due to landscape
change, such as water and soil conservation (Shen et al. 2020), but the allocation
volume does not change.
Consumption-based and all resource allocation
The 1987 plan is a surface water-consumption allocation plan. In fact, examples
from around the world indicate that strengthening the management of one resource
(such as surface water) will push the use of other resources (such as groundwater).
Therefore, sustainable water resources management shall strengthen management of
all resources if necessary. As such, the changes in 1998 address the issue in the 1987
plan.
3 https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2018-10/13/content_5330350.htm.