Integrated Management of the Yangtze River Basin

Abstract

Currently, the problems of water pollution and declining ecosystem function caused by overexploitation and utilization of the Yangtze River are due to the ineffective system of watershed management and the lack of important mechanisms, such as the participation of various regions, departments, and stakeholders in management and ecological compensation. The watershed’s natural attributes have determined that the watershed management belongs to the category of natural resources and ecosystem management. Thus, management needs to learn from the internationally popular concept of integrated watershed management. This chapter systematically introduces the basic concept and major experiences of modern integrated watershed management and, based on the existing conditions of China, promotes the establishment of the system in the Yangtze River basin by the provision of the important mechanisms mentioned earlier and building capacity for integrated watershed management, development of a water right system and the principle and methods for water allocation, management of three redlines for water resources, joint regulation of cascade reservoirs for flood control and drought relief in the Yangtze River, prevention and control of flash flood geological hazards, construction and management of hydraulic projects, soil conservation and sediment management, etc.