97
8 Eutrophication in the Great Lakes of the Chinese Pacific Drainage Basin: Changes, Trends, and Management
aquatic resources in lakes. A coordinated approach to lake
management by the various oversight agencies is needed.
The need for strong institutional coordination increases with
the increased use and abuse of lake resources. Furthermore,
the responsibility for managing lakes and for coordination
among agencies should be given to the regional lake commissions, whenever possible, since the regional lake commissions are familiar with the local environment and can
best accommodate the specific local needs for the enhanced
use, protection, and operation of lakes.
8.5.3 Control of Wetlands and of Littoral
Resources
The wetland and littoral zones are important areas for fish
spawning, nesting ground for birds, reducing the influx of
pollutants, and controlling erosion. However, the wetland
and littoral zones of the large lakes in China’s PDB are vanishing quickly as these areas face increasing pressure for
development. Owing to the population expansion over the
past two decades and to the expanded economic development, which began in the 1980s, the wetlands and littoral
areas in the PDB are now disappearing at even faster rates
than in the 1970s. Many wetlands are currently used not only
for farming, but also for housing developments and factories. An absence of legal restraint on development and the
lack of overall conservation planning for wetland and littoral
zones are largely responsible for this abuse. It is, therefore,
highly recommended that an integrated lake basin development program be established to control abuses and to foster
the conservation of these critical zones.
The riparian and littoral zones have long served as filters for reducing sedimentation and the influx of nutrients
and toxic substances into lakes. The use of littoral and riparian systems to control nutrient loadings and the influx
of toxic substances can be a low-cost method of reducing
eutrophication and toxic pollution of lakes. The establishment of riparian zones along lakes and waterways has been
found to be effective in protecting inland waters in North
America. It is highly recommended that China establishes a
coherent plan to manage its riparian zones in the absence of
monitoring programs and effluent controls, because the PDB
has a high population density, increased nutrient loadings,
and large influx of toxic substances. Such a zone can at least
serve as a first line of protection by reducing the amounts of
wastes entering the lakes. Lake Tai authorities are currently
contemplating the creation of a buffer zone several hundred
meters in width, where near-shore farms and villages would
be converted into wetlands and parks, but such relocation
plan close to urban centers will be costly.
8.5.4 Management Strategy
With its enormous population and increasing use of large
lakes, China needs to integrate the lake management programs and to plan for sustainable use of its aquatic resources.
The management plan should take into consideration the environmental costs of development and the ecological service
that lakes provide, and should reduce the current focus solely
on boosting aquatic production and on the use of the lake for
waste disposal. The reduction or recycling of wastes needs to
be encouraged by industries, which are responsible for waterborne hazards such as industrial toxins and untreated sewage,
and for losses in aquatic habitats. Mounting public concern
about drinkable water, clean lakes, and sustainable natural
resources has begun to bring about an awareness of better
integrated plans for managing inland waters. Such awareness,
however, is far from the elaboration of an integrated lake development strategy, which would include plans for watershed
development, control of waste run-off, sustainable resource
management, and the effective protection and management
of surface waters. Continued encouragement and promotion
of environmental consciousness is necessary, since incentives
in China for focusing on sustainable uses of inland waters are
not high. Instead, people’s primary concerns are near-term
profits. Annual growth in GDP has been considered more important than environmental protection and conservation. This
attitude is characteristic even of most water and lake management authorities. To increase awareness of more sustainable
lake management alternatives, international funding organizations can play an important role in persuading local officials
to include environmental costs and the protection and conservation of natural resources in development projects, and to
encourage local authorities to form integrated development
teams. Such teams would involve developers, environmental
scientists, county/city officers, and village representatives in
project planning from the onset. The ultimate responsibility
for managing a large lake environment rests upon all citizens
living in its watershed. Unless the majority of citizens recognize the importance of sustainable uses of lakes and are
willing to protect these precious resources, many large lakes
in China will cease to serve the people who have depended on
them over thousands of years.
8.6 Summary
Anthropogenic inputs to China’s great lakes in the PDB have
been increasing since 1950, as population and human activities
in their immediate watersheds have increased. However, the
rate of the change was slow in the 1960s, the types of the inputs
during those periods were primarily agricultural and household
wastes, and the amounts involved were relatively low. During
8 Eutrophication in the Great Lakes of the Chinese Pacific Drainage Basin: Changes, Trends, and Management
aquatic resources in lakes. A coordinated approach to lake
management by the various oversight agencies is needed.
The need for strong institutional coordination increases with
the increased use and abuse of lake resources. Furthermore,
the responsibility for managing lakes and for coordination
among agencies should be given to the regional lake commissions, whenever possible, since the regional lake commissions are familiar with the local environment and can
best accommodate the specific local needs for the enhanced
use, protection, and operation of lakes.
8.5.3 Control of Wetlands and of Littoral
Resources
The wetland and littoral zones are important areas for fish
spawning, nesting ground for birds, reducing the influx of
pollutants, and controlling erosion. However, the wetland
and littoral zones of the large lakes in China’s PDB are vanishing quickly as these areas face increasing pressure for
development. Owing to the population expansion over the
past two decades and to the expanded economic development, which began in the 1980s, the wetlands and littoral
areas in the PDB are now disappearing at even faster rates
than in the 1970s. Many wetlands are currently used not only
for farming, but also for housing developments and factories. An absence of legal restraint on development and the
lack of overall conservation planning for wetland and littoral
zones are largely responsible for this abuse. It is, therefore,
highly recommended that an integrated lake basin development program be established to control abuses and to foster
the conservation of these critical zones.
The riparian and littoral zones have long served as filters for reducing sedimentation and the influx of nutrients
and toxic substances into lakes. The use of littoral and riparian systems to control nutrient loadings and the influx
of toxic substances can be a low-cost method of reducing
eutrophication and toxic pollution of lakes. The establishment of riparian zones along lakes and waterways has been
found to be effective in protecting inland waters in North
America. It is highly recommended that China establishes a
coherent plan to manage its riparian zones in the absence of
monitoring programs and effluent controls, because the PDB
has a high population density, increased nutrient loadings,
and large influx of toxic substances. Such a zone can at least
serve as a first line of protection by reducing the amounts of
wastes entering the lakes. Lake Tai authorities are currently
contemplating the creation of a buffer zone several hundred
meters in width, where near-shore farms and villages would
be converted into wetlands and parks, but such relocation
plan close to urban centers will be costly.
8.5.4 Management Strategy
With its enormous population and increasing use of large
lakes, China needs to integrate the lake management programs and to plan for sustainable use of its aquatic resources.
The management plan should take into consideration the environmental costs of development and the ecological service
that lakes provide, and should reduce the current focus solely
on boosting aquatic production and on the use of the lake for
waste disposal. The reduction or recycling of wastes needs to
be encouraged by industries, which are responsible for waterborne hazards such as industrial toxins and untreated sewage,
and for losses in aquatic habitats. Mounting public concern
about drinkable water, clean lakes, and sustainable natural
resources has begun to bring about an awareness of better
integrated plans for managing inland waters. Such awareness,
however, is far from the elaboration of an integrated lake development strategy, which would include plans for watershed
development, control of waste run-off, sustainable resource
management, and the effective protection and management
of surface waters. Continued encouragement and promotion
of environmental consciousness is necessary, since incentives
in China for focusing on sustainable uses of inland waters are
not high. Instead, people’s primary concerns are near-term
profits. Annual growth in GDP has been considered more important than environmental protection and conservation. This
attitude is characteristic even of most water and lake management authorities. To increase awareness of more sustainable
lake management alternatives, international funding organizations can play an important role in persuading local officials
to include environmental costs and the protection and conservation of natural resources in development projects, and to
encourage local authorities to form integrated development
teams. Such teams would involve developers, environmental
scientists, county/city officers, and village representatives in
project planning from the onset. The ultimate responsibility
for managing a large lake environment rests upon all citizens
living in its watershed. Unless the majority of citizens recognize the importance of sustainable uses of lakes and are
willing to protect these precious resources, many large lakes
in China will cease to serve the people who have depended on
them over thousands of years.
8.6 Summary
Anthropogenic inputs to China’s great lakes in the PDB have
been increasing since 1950, as population and human activities
in their immediate watersheds have increased. However, the
rate of the change was slow in the 1960s, the types of the inputs
during those periods were primarily agricultural and household
wastes, and the amounts involved were relatively low. During