Search

Desiccation of the Yellow River, the cradle of the Chinese civilization and the second longest river in China since the 1970s, has created serious socioeconomic, environmental and ecological problems. This paper analyzes the water shortage problem in the Yellow River and evaluates the effects of demand management and the interbasin transfer -South Water Northward Transfer Project - in alleviating the problem. Although China has initiated a series of demand management and pollution control initiatives, these programs alone cannot solve the chronic water shortage problem in the Yellow River Basin. While facing multiple challenges and controversies, implementation of the South Water Northward Transfer Project is necessary to mitigate the water shortage crisis in the Basin. However, the implementation of the Transfer Project is only a partial solution to the Yellow River chronic water shortage problem. China should actively implement and enforce its demand management programs and pollution control policies to make sustainable use of its limited fresh water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the measured data on no-flow events in the Lower Yellow River since 1972, this paper presents an approach to describe the no-flow status in terms of a comprehensive indicator. The severity levels of no-flow events are identified by cluster analysis. Furthermore, the relation between severity levels and incoming water from upstream and its variance is well established with a BP-typed Artificial Neural Network (ANN), which is helpful to identify the complex response of the severity level to flow characteristics. The availability of the approach for quantitative description and prediction of no-flow events is discussed through comparisons between predicted and measured results in the Lower Yellow River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transjurisdictional water pollution problems are increasing in number and are becoming a significant governance problem in China. A large number of transjurisdictional water pollution disputes that have far-reaching social effects are occurring between provinces and are also frequent between municipalities, counties, towns, and villages. In this paper, several transjurisdictional water pollution cases in China, particularly in the Yellow River Basin, are discussed. The problems and causes for transjurisdictional water pollution are addressed. There are many causes for transjurisdictional water pollution problems although the key reasons are the rapid economic development, the failure of local authorities to enforce the existing laws and to implement administrative decisions, as well as inadequacies in the legal framework. Other factors include poor technology, shortage of funds, the institutional division of jurisdiction and management over water quantity and quality both administratively and legally, the lack of transparency in the decision-making process, insufficient public participation and information disclosure, poor communication, and lack of involvement of stakeholders in basin or sub-basin organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A holistic approach using multiple modules is used to recommend the environmental flow for fish in the lower Yellow River. The basic steps are as follows: (1) acquire the flow-related information on selected fish in the lower Yellow River, including fish species composition, abundance and habitat use in relation to flow conditions; (2) link the selected fish to key aspects of the flow regime using a conceptual model; (3) identify the environmental flow objectives; and (4) use hydraulic and hydrologic models to determine the magnitude, duration, frequency and timing of flows required to meet these objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River basin, an important agricultural and industrial region and the "Cradle of Chinese Civilization," is facing serious water shortage. The particular climatological and hydrologic conditions together with the disproportional development of economics are currently making sustainable water supply a rather complex and difficult task Even so, the population still continues to increase, which poses considerable pressure on the already overburdened water resources in the study area. Traditional supply-oriented water resources management has proven to be insufficient to efficiently integrate the socio-economic development, environmental ecosystem, and limited renewable water resources. The Yellow River should be envisioned from broader perspectives, not only to recognize the symbolic dimension of the water resources management from a source of public goods or commodity water but also to regard the river basin as an ecosystem worthy of preservation and protection for future generations. An overview on the availability and demand aspects of the water resources in the Yellow River basin is presented, and the present and future situations of the water shortage are evaluated. In addition, perspectives on a new demand-oriented water resources management plan, in an effort to shift water resources management towards sustainability in the Yellow River basin, are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation of δ18O, δD, and ³H in the Yellow River water were analyzed based on the isotope test results of water samples in 18 sections of the Yellow River in rainy and dry seasons. The results show the trend of the ratios of the stable isotopes increases while the ³H concentration decreases progressively from the river source to the estuary. The main factors affecting the isotopes in the river water are the mixing of foreign water bodies, evaporation, and human activities. River runoff mostly comes from the source and the middle reaches of the river. The changes of the isotopes in the river water could be served as a good indicator of the recharge of different foreign water to the Yellow River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an integrated water quantity and quality management method for the entire Yellow River system where the eco-environment has been deteriorating and water quantity is very scarce. The supply and demand of water resources has been investigated. The integration of the concepts of water resources functional capacity and water resources functional deficit have been put forward, and their characteristics have been analyzed. The results, based on 1997 to 1999 data, indicate that approximately 39 percent of the total river length was of excellent to good quality, 26 percent was moderate, and 35 percent was poor to very poor The total natural runoffs of the river were 31.8, 43.9, and 43.4 billion m3, and about 94, 65, and 71 percent of them were withdrawn for agricultural, industrial, and domestic uses in 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively. The total water resources availabilities were 21.1, 28.8, and 29.2 billion m3 occupying about 66, 66, and 67 percent of the total runoffs in 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively. From 1997 to 1999, the river could provide only 53 percent (on average) of the total water resources demand for the uses and discharge to the Bohai Sea; about 57 percent of the water deficiency resulted from pollution and 43 percent from quantity deficit. For the main pollution parameter (CODMn), the averages of water resources functional capacity and deficit were 29,571.54 and 199.70 kg, respectively; for NH4-N, the averages of water resources functional capacity and deficit were 3774.26 and 113.08 kg, respectively. These demonstrated that the influence of NH4-N on water resources availability was more than that of CODMn and that the functional capacity was much higher than functional deficit, suggesting that the actual water quality was mostly better than the required one for water supply functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]