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2 Water Resources Management Framework
RBO
Prefectural WAD
Provincial WAD
County WAD
WAD of the State Council
River basin and water body
Total amount control
Water abstraction permit
Water resources justification
Water function zoning, discharge
Outlets into water body supervision
and management
Planned water use
Water resources allocation and regulation
Water resources allocation and regulation
Water resources allocation and regulation
Water resources allocation
Water resources fee
Quota management
Fig. 2.1 Water resources management framework of China. Elaborated by the author
The hierarchical water resources management institution and centralized political
system of China make the implementation of water resources management systems
highly complicated. Often, the implementation of a system involves water resources
management agencies at all levels from river basin to nationwide. As a result, complex
management relationships exist between these agencies and, in some cases, conflicts
among agencies may arise, especially between the river basin management agency
and regional water resources agencies. From a technical perspective, the requirements
of a complex system are high. To achieve technical consistency, water resources
management agencies are therefore required to better cooperate and coordinate.
2.2 Main Water Resources Management Systems
2.2.1 Medium- and Long-Term Water Supply and Demand
Planning System
Medium- and long-term water supply and demand planning is a water resources
management system designed for long-term and macro-level water resources allocation. Article 44 of the 2002 Water Law stipulates that “the development and planning administrative department and WAD of the State Council are responsible for
the macro-level allocation of water resources across the country. The national and
inter-province medium- and long-term water supply and demand plan shall be formulated by the WAD of the State Council, together with relevant departments and be
implemented after being examined and approved by the development and planning
2 Water Resources Management Framework
RBO
Prefectural WAD
Provincial WAD
County WAD
WAD of the State Council
River basin and water body
Total amount control
Water abstraction permit
Water resources justification
Water function zoning, discharge
Outlets into water body supervision
and management
Planned water use
Water resources allocation and regulation
Water resources allocation and regulation
Water resources allocation and regulation
Water resources allocation
Water resources fee
Quota management
Fig. 2.1 Water resources management framework of China. Elaborated by the author
The hierarchical water resources management institution and centralized political
system of China make the implementation of water resources management systems
highly complicated. Often, the implementation of a system involves water resources
management agencies at all levels from river basin to nationwide. As a result, complex
management relationships exist between these agencies and, in some cases, conflicts
among agencies may arise, especially between the river basin management agency
and regional water resources agencies. From a technical perspective, the requirements
of a complex system are high. To achieve technical consistency, water resources
management agencies are therefore required to better cooperate and coordinate.
2.2 Main Water Resources Management Systems
2.2.1 Medium- and Long-Term Water Supply and Demand
Planning System
Medium- and long-term water supply and demand planning is a water resources
management system designed for long-term and macro-level water resources allocation. Article 44 of the 2002 Water Law stipulates that “the development and planning administrative department and WAD of the State Council are responsible for
the macro-level allocation of water resources across the country. The national and
inter-province medium- and long-term water supply and demand plan shall be formulated by the WAD of the State Council, together with relevant departments and be
implemented after being examined and approved by the development and planning