1.4 Water Resources Development and Use
17
12% of the annual average runoff, respectively. Of this storage, the large-scale
1
projects contributed 72% of total storage and 64% of effective storage, respectively.
These projects mainly distributed in central and eastern China, especially the Hai,
the Yellow, and the Liao River Basins, where the total storage is greater than the
annual average runoff. However, as far as the whole country is concerned, the ability
to regulate and control runoff is relatively low compared to that of the United States,
Canada, Russia, and Mexico.
Nearly 840,000 diversion projects have been completed in the country, with a
diversion capacity of 98,7000 m
3 /s. Of this amount, large-scale diversion projects
account for 71% of the total water diversion capacity and are located mainly near
the Yellow River, Huai River, and Yangtze River, and the rivers in Northwest China.
There are more than 300,000 pumping projects with a capacity of 36,400 m
3 /s, of
which large-scale pumping projects contribute 12% and are located mainly in the
Huai, the Yangtze, and the Pearl River Basins. There are 89 water transfer projects
across the nine primary water resource zones, with a total pumping and diversion
capacity of 4,500 m
3 /s.
The water supply capacity of the diversion, pumping, and transfer projects in the
country total 139,600 m
3 /s, of which large-scale projects account for about 56%. In
addition, there are more than 4.95 million groundwater wells, including more than
4.3 million electromechanical tube wells, mainly in the Yellow, Huai, and Hai Plain
(Table 1.9).
1.4.1.2 Water Supply
The annual water supply capacity in 2000 was 645.9 km
3 , of which surface water
supply facilities provided 533.1 km
3 , 83% of the total, and groundwater supplied
112.8 km
3 . In northern China, surface water supplied about 66% of total capacity,
and groundwater provided about 34%. In southern China, surface water provided
most of the capacity, with groundwater supplying less than 5% (Table 1.10).
According to the Water Resources Bulletin of China, the total water supply
increased from 443.7 km
3 in 1980 to 604.0 km
3 in 2016, with an annual increase
of 0.86%. The greatest increase occurred in 2013: 618.0 km
3 (Nanjing Institute of
Hydrology of Water Resources, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower
Research 1998; Institute of Water and Power Planning, Ministry of Water and Power
1989; MWR 1998–2017) (Fig. 1.4). Surface water resources provided about 80% of
the total supply, and groundwater supplied less than 20%. Other sources provided
about 1%.
1 According to “Standard for rank classification and flood protection criteria of water and hydropower
project” (SL252) by MWR, large-scale project refers to projects such as reservoirs with capacity
more than 100 million m 3 , irrigation areas with capacity more than 500,000 mu (33,333 ha), annual
water supply more than 300 million m 3 , and fixed hydropower capacity more than 300 MW.
17
12% of the annual average runoff, respectively. Of this storage, the large-scale
1
projects contributed 72% of total storage and 64% of effective storage, respectively.
These projects mainly distributed in central and eastern China, especially the Hai,
the Yellow, and the Liao River Basins, where the total storage is greater than the
annual average runoff. However, as far as the whole country is concerned, the ability
to regulate and control runoff is relatively low compared to that of the United States,
Canada, Russia, and Mexico.
Nearly 840,000 diversion projects have been completed in the country, with a
diversion capacity of 98,7000 m
3 /s. Of this amount, large-scale diversion projects
account for 71% of the total water diversion capacity and are located mainly near
the Yellow River, Huai River, and Yangtze River, and the rivers in Northwest China.
There are more than 300,000 pumping projects with a capacity of 36,400 m
3 /s, of
which large-scale pumping projects contribute 12% and are located mainly in the
Huai, the Yangtze, and the Pearl River Basins. There are 89 water transfer projects
across the nine primary water resource zones, with a total pumping and diversion
capacity of 4,500 m
3 /s.
The water supply capacity of the diversion, pumping, and transfer projects in the
country total 139,600 m
3 /s, of which large-scale projects account for about 56%. In
addition, there are more than 4.95 million groundwater wells, including more than
4.3 million electromechanical tube wells, mainly in the Yellow, Huai, and Hai Plain
(Table 1.9).
1.4.1.2 Water Supply
The annual water supply capacity in 2000 was 645.9 km
3 , of which surface water
supply facilities provided 533.1 km
3 , 83% of the total, and groundwater supplied
112.8 km
3 . In northern China, surface water supplied about 66% of total capacity,
and groundwater provided about 34%. In southern China, surface water provided
most of the capacity, with groundwater supplying less than 5% (Table 1.10).
According to the Water Resources Bulletin of China, the total water supply
increased from 443.7 km
3 in 1980 to 604.0 km
3 in 2016, with an annual increase
of 0.86%. The greatest increase occurred in 2013: 618.0 km
3 (Nanjing Institute of
Hydrology of Water Resources, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower
Research 1998; Institute of Water and Power Planning, Ministry of Water and Power
1989; MWR 1998–2017) (Fig. 1.4). Surface water resources provided about 80% of
the total supply, and groundwater supplied less than 20%. Other sources provided
about 1%.
1 According to “Standard for rank classification and flood protection criteria of water and hydropower
project” (SL252) by MWR, large-scale project refers to projects such as reservoirs with capacity
more than 100 million m 3 , irrigation areas with capacity more than 500,000 mu (33,333 ha), annual
water supply more than 300 million m 3 , and fixed hydropower capacity more than 300 MW.