14.5 Discussions
303
Water-use plan
The transition from annual control in 1987 to monthly control in 1998 reflects the
strengthening of management in water-use planning. In order to address the drying-up
of the trunk, the monthly control was implemented in 1998. In addition, the monthly
control was implemented by a 10-day plan and also real-time regulation orders, if
necessary.
Formulation timing
The formulation of the allocation plan in the Yellow River is in a proper time. In
the mid-1980s, the available water resources were not fully used in the river basin,
and water use did not reach the upper limit of the allocation in the plan. However,
in the Shiyang River Basin in Gansu Province, the allocation under severe overdraft
was formulated with ample government investment in water saving. Strategically,
the political cost and barrier to formulate an increasing-volume allocation plan is
normally less than that of a decreasing-volume allocation plan. The provinces in the
river basin were allocated more water than they use. Of course, even under such
an allocation plan and strategy, discrimination could be investigated. For example,
Shanxi Province had a national strategy to develop an energy base in the 1980s
and had received a greater percentage increase in the allocation. However, for Inner
Mongolia it was less important to build an energy base in the 1980s (but now it
is a more important energy base in China), so it received a smaller increase. This
resulted in that the increased water demand for industry in Inner Mongolia could
only be provided from its share, and it unintentionally promoted the famous water
rights transfer in the early 2000s, as discussed above.
Formulation process and procedure
The formulation of a water resource regulation plan adopts both bottom-up and
top-down approaches. The water-use proposal is first reported from water users or
abstraction permit holders to the provincial water department and then to YRCC.
Then, the annual water resources regulation plan is formulated by YRCC and issues
to the provincial department and to the user.
At the same time, following this procedure, the “macro–micro” formulation
process is applied in water resource allocation and regulation. First, the annual
average water resource allocation plan is developed followed by the monthly allocation. In terms of the regulation plan, the annual water resources regulation plan
(monthly based) is issued first, followed by a monthly plan and 10-day plan (daily
based).
Water rights and administrative power
The Yellow River water resource allocation and regulation are a mixture of water
rights and administrative power practices. Water rights theory is applied to formulate the water resource allocation plan, but regulations are implemented by strong
administrative power. The water resource allocation plan is a water rights initialization plan for the river basin and permeant water rights for provinces in its valid time.
303
Water-use plan
The transition from annual control in 1987 to monthly control in 1998 reflects the
strengthening of management in water-use planning. In order to address the drying-up
of the trunk, the monthly control was implemented in 1998. In addition, the monthly
control was implemented by a 10-day plan and also real-time regulation orders, if
necessary.
Formulation timing
The formulation of the allocation plan in the Yellow River is in a proper time. In
the mid-1980s, the available water resources were not fully used in the river basin,
and water use did not reach the upper limit of the allocation in the plan. However,
in the Shiyang River Basin in Gansu Province, the allocation under severe overdraft
was formulated with ample government investment in water saving. Strategically,
the political cost and barrier to formulate an increasing-volume allocation plan is
normally less than that of a decreasing-volume allocation plan. The provinces in the
river basin were allocated more water than they use. Of course, even under such
an allocation plan and strategy, discrimination could be investigated. For example,
Shanxi Province had a national strategy to develop an energy base in the 1980s
and had received a greater percentage increase in the allocation. However, for Inner
Mongolia it was less important to build an energy base in the 1980s (but now it
is a more important energy base in China), so it received a smaller increase. This
resulted in that the increased water demand for industry in Inner Mongolia could
only be provided from its share, and it unintentionally promoted the famous water
rights transfer in the early 2000s, as discussed above.
Formulation process and procedure
The formulation of a water resource regulation plan adopts both bottom-up and
top-down approaches. The water-use proposal is first reported from water users or
abstraction permit holders to the provincial water department and then to YRCC.
Then, the annual water resources regulation plan is formulated by YRCC and issues
to the provincial department and to the user.
At the same time, following this procedure, the “macro–micro” formulation
process is applied in water resource allocation and regulation. First, the annual
average water resource allocation plan is developed followed by the monthly allocation. In terms of the regulation plan, the annual water resources regulation plan
(monthly based) is issued first, followed by a monthly plan and 10-day plan (daily
based).
Water rights and administrative power
The Yellow River water resource allocation and regulation are a mixture of water
rights and administrative power practices. Water rights theory is applied to formulate the water resource allocation plan, but regulations are implemented by strong
administrative power. The water resource allocation plan is a water rights initialization plan for the river basin and permeant water rights for provinces in its valid time.