Water problems and hydrological research in the Yellow River and the Huai and Hai River basins of China

Abstract

Abstract:This paper deals with hydrological research in regard to the water resources crisis in the vulnerable areas found in the northern part of China. This area includes three main river basins, namely the basins of the Yellow (Huang) River, the Hai River and the Huai River. Several water problems are becoming very severe. Among them, two are the most critical: the Yellow River has been drained dry in the main course of its lower reaches and along its major tributaries, and the groundwater table has rapidly declined in the floodplains of the three rivers' downstream areas.To counter the problems, particularly the critical issues mentioned above, hydrological research, which serves as the basis of water development and management, has been carried out in the last two decades. This paper addresses three basic scientific problems in North China, namely: (a) water consumption and the capacity for saving water; (b) the changes in hydrological processes and water resources caused by natural change and human activities; and (c) the ability to supply water resources and water safety in terms of both quantity and quality within a changing environment. However, opportunities and challenges for ameliorating the problems exist, and new ideas and methodology to solve the problems have been proposed, such as the interface process study on the interactions in the soil-root interface, the plant-atmosphere interface, the soil-atmosphere interface, and the interface of soil water and groundwater. In order to manage water resources in a sustainable manner, the study of water resources' renewal ability as affected by natural change and human activity is addressed from the viewpoint of both water quantity and quality, and their integration. To reduce the vulnerability of water resources in regional water management, a paradigm of sustainable water resources utilization is also proposed, using water-heat balance, water-salt balance, water-sediment balance, and water supply-demand balance. This approach may help reveal the basic problems and point to possible approaches to solving the water problems in North China in the 21st century.

Analysis of long‐term water balance in the source area of the Yellow River basin

“…In recent years, problems such as frequent droughts or flooding have affected most large rivers in China (Xia and Chen, 2001;Liu and Xia, 2004). Water shortages are becoming particularly serious in northern China because of dry climate conditions and heavy water demands (Liu and Xia, 2004;Yang et al, 2004).…”

“…Water shortages are becoming particularly serious in northern China because of dry climate conditions and heavy water demands (Liu and Xia, 2004;Yang et al, 2004). The Yellow River basin is the second-largest river basin in China ( Figure 1) and is important for agriculture, water storage and socioeconomic development (Cai and Rosegrant, 2004;Liu and Xia, 2004).…”

“…Water shortages are becoming particularly serious in northern China because of dry climate conditions and heavy water demands (Liu and Xia, 2004;Yang et al, 2004). The Yellow River basin is the second-largest river basin in China ( Figure 1) and is important for agriculture, water storage and socioeconomic development (Cai and Rosegrant, 2004;Liu and Xia, 2004). However, river discharges in the lower reaches of the Yellow River basin have decreased continuously (Xia and Chen, 2001;Ren et al, 2002;Chen et al, 2003;Liu and Zheng, 2004;Yang et al, 2004;Xu, 2005).…”

“…However, river discharges in the lower reaches of the Yellow River basin have decreased continuously (Xia and Chen, 2001;Ren et al, 2002;Chen et al, 2003;Liu and Zheng, 2004;Yang et al, 2004;Xu, 2005). Consequently, drying in the lower reaches has occurred since 1972 (Liu and Xia, 2004;Xia et al, 2004;Yang et al, 2004). The most serious drying situation occurred in 1997 when the main river dried up near the mouth for 226 days, and a no-flow zone extended 704 km upstream (Xia and Chen, 2001; Yang * Correspondence to: Yoshinobu Sato, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 457-4 Kamigamo-motoyama, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8047, Japan.…”

Mindset Change Needed for China’s Water Crisis

“…Though these projects have played a certain role in promoting economic development, excessive dependence on hydro-projects has triggered a slew of intractable problems, including soil alkalization, flow dry-up, and eco-environmental deterioration (Liu and Xia 2004;Pereira et al 2007). One example is the notorious Sanmenxia Reservoir in the middle Yellow River.…”