Abstract
Water shortages and related environmental degradation in North China are major issues facing the country. As runoff from the mountainous parts of the region steadily decrease and water resources become overcommitted, serious water and environmental problems have resulted. These include drying-up of rivers, decline in groundwater levels, degradation of lakes and wetlands, and water pollution. Thus, 4000 km of the lower reaches of the Hai River — some 40% of its length — has experienced zero flows and, as result, parts of this river have become an ephemeral stream. The area of wetland within the Basin has decreased from 10,000 km2 at the beginning of 1950s to 1,000 km2 at present. Over-extraction of groundwater occurs beneath 70% of the North China Plain, with the total groundwater over-extraction estimated at 90 billion m3. Thus, problems of water shortage and related environmental issues in North China have become the most significant limiting factors affecting sustainable development in this important region of China.
This paper addresses the water security issues facing North China in the 21st Century using the Hai River basin as an example. We describe hydrologic cycles under changing environments, water-saving agriculture, assessment of water resource security, and efforts towards achieving integrated catchment management.
Keywords
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Chen SY, Zhang XY, Hu CS, Pei D, Liu MY (2004) Comprehensive water-saving models in high yielding region of Hebei Plain. Chin J Eco-Agric 12(1):148–151 (in Chinese)
Chen JQ (1994) Water resources in China. In: Qian ZY (ed) Water resources development in China. China Water and Power Press (in Chinese), Beijing, pp 1–42
Chen JQ, Xia J (1999) Facing the challenge: barriers to sustainable water resources development in China. Hydrol Sci J 44(4):507–516
Chen XD, Li XM, Lu GQ (1999) Drying up courses of lower Huanghe river and variable characteristic of water resources, research and practice on sustainable management of water resources. Wuhan Mapping University of Science and Technology Press, pp 23–28
Chen ZK (1985) China’s water resources and its utilization. GeoJournal 10(2):167–171
Chen ZK (2002) The serious impact of the lasting drought and water shortage on eco-environment of the North China Plain, In: Proceedings of the sixth academician conference of chinese academy of engineering (in Chinese), pp 90–97
Chilima J, Huang CY, Wu CF (2002) Maize (Zea mays L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) straw decomposition in soil: effect of straw placement, mineral nitrogen and tillage. Pedosphere 12(4):353–364
Falkenmark M (1997) Society’s interaction with the water cycle: a conceptual framework for a more holistic approach. Hydrol Sci J 42(4):451–466
Huang GH, Xia J (2001) Barriers to sustainable water quality management. J Environ Manage 61(1):1–23
Jia SF, Zhang SF (2003) Water resources security appraisement of Hai basin. Prog Geogr 22(4):379–387 (in Chinese)
Kundzewicz ZW (1997) Water resources for sustainable development. Hydrol Sci J 42(4):467–480
Liu CM, Cheng L (2000) Analysis on runoff series with special reference to drying up courses of lower Huanghe River. Acta Geographica Sinica 55(3):257–265 (in Chinese)
Liu CM, He XW (1996) China’s water problems and strategies in the 21st century (in Chinese). Science Press, Beijing, China, p 199
Liu CM, Yu JJ (2001) Groundwater exploitation and its impact on the environment in the north china plain. Water Int 26(2):265–272
Liu CM, Wei ZY (1989) Agricultural hydrology and water resources in the north china plain. Science Press (in Chinese), Beijing, China, p 236
Loucks DP (1997) Quantifying trends in system sustainability. Hydrol Sci J 42(4):513–530
Luo Y, Yu Q, Ou YZ, Tang DY, Xie XQ (2000) The evaluation of water uptake models by using precise field observation data. J Hydraulic Eng 4:73–80 (in Chinese)
MWR (Ministry of Water Resources) (1987) Water resources assessment for China (in Chinese). Chinese Water and Power Press, Beijing, China, pp 15–46
MWR (Ministry of Water Resources) (1997) Quality assessment of water resources for China (in Chinese). China Science and Technology Press, Beijing, China, pp 18–42
Plate EJ (1993) Sustainable development of water resources: a challenge to science and engineering. Water Int 18(2):84–93
Qian ZY (1991) Water resources in China (in Chinese). Chinese Water and Power Press, Beijing, China, pp 1–3
Qian ZY (1992) Water resources development in China: history, status quo and prospect. Hehai University Press, Nanjing (in Chinese), pp 2–3
Qian ZY, Zhang GD (2001) Strategic studies of water resources for sustainable development in China, vol. 1 (in Chinese). Chinese Water Resources and Hydropower Press, Beijing, China, pp 1–10
Rodda J (1995) Whither world water? Water Resour Bull 31(2):1–7
Simonovic SP (1996) Decision support systems for sustainable management of water resources: 1, general principles. Water Int 21(4):223–232
SPC (State Planning Commission) (1995) Report on China’s population, resources and environment. China Environmental Sciences Press, Beijing, China (in Chinese), p 180
Subhani A, Liao M, Huang CY, Xie ZM (2000) Effects of some management practices on electron transport system (ETS) activity in paddy soil. Pedosphere 10(3):257–264
Sun HY, Liu CM, Zhang YQ (2003) Effects of water stress in different growth stage on water consumption and yield in winter wheat. J Irrigation Drainage 22(2):13–16 (in Chinese)
Wang GS, Xia J, Tan G, Lv AF (2002) A research on Distributed Time Variant Gain Model: a case study on Chaohe river basin. Prog Geogr 21(6):573–582 (in Chinese)
Wang HX, Zhang L, Dawes WR, Liu CM (2001) Improving water efficiency of irrigated crops in the North China Plain — measurements and modelling. Agric Water Manage 48:151–167
Wang XY, Xie HT, Liang WJ, Wen DZ (2004) Rice yield and water use as affected by soil management practices. Pedosphere 14(3):331–337
Wang ZM, Ren XS, Guo HY (2000) Hai water resources facing the 21st century. Tianjin Science and Technology Press, Tianjin (in Chinese), China
World Bank (1997) Clear water and blue skies: China’s environment in the new century. World Bank, Washington DC, USA, p 114
WWC (World Water Council) (2000) WorldWater Vision 2025. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London, United Kingdom, p 108
Xia J (1997) Advances in management of sustainable water resources system. Adv Water Sci 8(4):370–376 (in Chinese)
Xia J (2002) Hydrologic nonlinear system theory and approach. Wuhan University Press (in Chinese), pp 8–16
Xia J, David Chen YQ (2001) Water problems and opportunities in hydrological sciences in China. Hydrol Sci J 46(6):907–922
Xia J, Tackeuchi K (1999) Barriers to sustainable management of water quantity and quality. Guest editors for Special Issue. Hydrol Sci J 44(4):503–505
Xia J, Tan G (2002) Hydrological science towards global change: progress and challenge. Resour Sci 24(3):1–7 (in Chinese)
Xia J, Liu MY, Jia SF, Song XF, Luo Y, Zhang SF (2004) Water security problem and research perspective in North China. J Nat Resour 19(5):550–560 (in Chinese)
Xia J, Wang GS, Tan G (2003) A distributed hydrological model applied to Heihe mountainous basin in western China. IAHS Publication no. 282, pp 268–274
Xia J, Wang GS, Tan G, Ye AZ, Huang GH (2005) Development of distributed time-variant gain model for nonlinear hydrological system. Sciences in china, Ser D Earth Sci 48(6):713–723
Xia J, Zuo QT, Pang JW (2001) Enlightenment on sustainable management of water resources from past practices for the Bositeng Lake basin in Xinjiang, China, IAHS Pub. No. 268 (Regional Management of Water Resources), UK, pp 41–48
Zhang GL (1999) Water supply and demand in china in the 21st century (in Chinese). ChineseWater Resources and Hydropower Press, Beijing, China, pp 1–4
Zhang L, Dawes WR, Walker GR (2001) The response of mean annual evapotranspiration to vegetation changes at catchment scale. Water Resour Res 37:701–708
Zhang QS, Zhang X (1995) Water issues and sustainable social development in China. Water Int 20:122–128
Zhang ZZ, Chen BX, Chen ZK (1992) Challenges to and opportunities for developments of China’s water resources in the 21st century. Water Int 17:21–27
Zhang XY, Che SY, Liu MY, Pei D, Sun HY (2005) Improved water use efficiency associated with cultivars and agronomic management in the North China plain. Agron J 97:783–790
Zuo DK (1985) Proceedings of water balance and south to North water transferring in North China plain (in Chinese). Science Press, Beijing, p 303
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Xia, J., Zhang, L., Liu, C., Yu, J. (2006). Towards better water security in North China. In: Craswell, E., Bonnell, M., Bossio, D., Demuth, S., Van De Giesen, N. (eds) Integrated Assessment of Water Resources and Global Change. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5591-1_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5591-1_15
Received:
Accepted:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5590-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-5591-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)