The Consideration of Integrated Management of Water Resources

The Consideration of Integrated Management of Water Resources
and Water Environment in the Zhangweinan Sub-basin
WANG Liqing1, YU Weidong2, 3
1. Scientific and Technological Advice Center of Haihe Water Conservancy Commission, Tianjin,
P.R.China
2. Environmental Science and Engineering School of Hehai University, Nanjing, P.R.China, 210098
3. Zhangweinan Canal Administration Bureau of HWCC, Dezhou city of Shandong Province, P.R.China,
253009
[email protected]
Abstract: Zhangweinan sub-basin flows through four provinces and one municipality. There are
groundwater, surface water, water from Yellow River and other water sources in this sub-basin. The
water supply system and water resources deployment management are complex and water pollution
disputes often appear. The implementation of integrated management of water resources and water
environment is of great significance in North China region where is short of water resources and with
obvious water pollution contradiction.
Keywords: Zhangweinan, sub-basin, integrated management
Zhangweinan Canal is the important sub-basin in south of Haihe River basin which locates in the east of
Taihang Mountains, south of Fuyang River, north of Yellow River, Tuhai River and Majia River. It flows
through Shanxi province, Henan province, Hebei province, Shandong province and Tianjin and then
goes in Bohai Sea with a drainage area of 37584 km2, of which hilly areas consists of 67.8%.
1 Status of water resources and water environmental conditions and key issues
1.1 Less water resources, uneven distribution and consecutive dry years
The average possession of water resources is only 272m3 in the Haihe River basin which is less than
one-seventh of that in China and one-twenty-seventh of that in the world where it is the shortest water
resources basin; furthermore, Zhangweinan sub-basin is the shortest water resource region in Haihe
River basin and the average possession of water resources is only 240m3 which belongs to a serious
water shortage area. The yearly average rainfall is 608mm which concentrates in summer. From June to
September, the total rainfall consists of 70% of that in the whole year. The water development and
utilization rate reaches to 90% in this sub-basin and the using of water relies on water from Yellow
River water diversion and over-exploitation of groundwater in the middle and lower reaches of the River.
As the surface water is heavily developed and utilized, river runoff decreased sharply and dried up in the
middle and lower reaches of the river. The observation records of Xinji Brake from 1956 to 2005 show
that the average annual water volume into the sea is 510 million m3, but only 120 million m3 after 1980.
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There are four consecutive dry year periods in Zhangweinan sub-basins, i.e. from 1951 to 1952, from
1979 to 1981, from 1983 to 1995, from 1997 to 2000. The average runoff is 3.69 billion m3 for those 24
years from 1954 to 1977; while the average runoff is 742 million m3 for those 21 years from 1980 to
2000. Scarcity of water resources has seriously affected the economic development of this sub-basin and
caused serious water eco-environmental problems.
1.2 Serious pollution in the river runoff which has endangered the eco-environment in Bohai Sea
The water pollution problem in Zhangweinan Canal encountered a turning point in the late 1970s and
early 1980s, and then it became the pollution problem in the whole basin and reached to its highest peak
at the beginning of this century. It still out of control at present and no signs of improvement appear. In
2003, the observed number of sewage into the river is 311, sewage emissions is 813 million m3 and
COD emissions is 231,000 t. Wei River and its downstream are seriously polluted. The main index of
pollution such as permanganate, ammonia nitrogen and volatile phenol perennial is always excessive
and river water quality exceeds class V.
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The representative section of Wei Canal is north Guantao, Xianfeng Bridge, Bai village and Sinve
temple. The measurement records from 1982 to 2002 shows that the main index of pollution such as
permanganate, ammonia nitrogen and volatile phenol perennial is growing obviously over time.
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Zhangweixin River is polluted gradually since the nineties of last century. Qi Lizhuang section
monitoring shows that the water belongs to Class V since 1995.
Zhangweinan River sub-basin is the most serious polluted area in the Haihe River Basin which heavily
threatens the eco-environment of the Bohai Bay.
1.3 Serious over-exploitation of local groundwater and local groundwater is polluted in some
region
It is seriously short of surface water in the region of Zhangweinan Canal. The exploitation of
groundwater has already reached to a certain size by the mid 1970s. Thereafter, in order to meet the
requirement of water consumption amount, the exploitation of groundwater increases steadily.
Long-term over-exploitation exists in some regions.
The over-exploitation of shallow groundwater has reached 10839km2 in 2000 and over-exploitation of
deep groundwater reached 17259km2. Over-exploitation of groundwater has led to a decline in
groundwater levels and the formation of funnel-shaped zone and uneven ground settlement and a series
of environmental geological problems thereafter. Deep groundwater funnel-shaped zone is formed in
Tianjin, Cangzhou and Dezhou as centers with great areas.
Monitoring and evaluation of shallow ground water within 2km along river is taken in 2002, six rivers
and nineteen sections with total length of 596km are monitored. Shallow groundwater along the main
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Ⅳ
Ⅴ
river is polluted with different degree and water class belongs to class
and . There were 12
pollution parameters which exceeds class in the 18 monitored parameters. The monitored wells do not
meet drinking water standards. Abundant contaminations in the river and leakage of polluted water into
the ground for long time cause deferent degree of pollution in this region.
1.4 Disputes on water pollution always occurs which should be integrated and implemented
urgently.
Zhangweinan Canal includes many protection areas of drinking water sources such as Yuecheng
Reservoir drinking water source. The Wei Canal and South Canal is the route which the water transfers
from south to north project must go through, such as the water transferring project from Yellow River to
Tianjin and Hebei province.
There is not any fish and shrimps in Zhangweinan canal nowadays. The river dried up and riverbed is
desertification and ecosystems have been severely destroyed which seriously affects the coastal
economic development and eco-environment improvement and masses’ health. The demand becomes
strong and strong from the local government and masses to solve water scarcity and water pollution
problems in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic development.
In recent years, water conservancy and environmental protection department have prepared some
programming reports such as "Water Resources Planning in the Haihe River Basin ", "Prevention
Planning on Water Pollution in the Haihe River Basin",” Prevention Planning on Water Pollution in the
east route of the water transferring project from south to north" and so on. The above plans have been
approved by the State Council and related administration department. The project is supported by all
levels of government and the masses. However, huge amount of investment is needed and the
implementation progress is slow, the situation of water resources and water environment has not been
changed apparently.
2 Analyses the causes of environmental problems on Water Resources and Water
environment in the Sub-Basin
The phenomena of lax supervision on the integrated management still exist in Zhangweinan sub-basin
such as water license management, water resources protection and water pollution prevention. The main
reasons are as follows:
2.1 The existed legislation is not specific and the supporting regulations are incomplete
The revised "Water Law" has been promulgated and implemented, but some terms of the existing water
management laws and regulations do not facilitate to implement and operate. The revised laws and
regulations of water license management and water resources protection matched with the new "Water
Law" has not yet come out. Meanwhile, the relevant laws and regulations on water allocation and water
deployment need to be set down in the Haihe River Basin urgently.
Based on "Water Pollution Prevention Law", the "Implementation Rules of Water Pollution Control Act"
is formulated which is not emphasized on the management of the basin and even not mentioned the
basin agency.
Zhangweinan sub-basin is the boundary river which involved in four provinces and one city. The
problems come out due to the conflict of regulations between them.
2.2 Disorder of management system causes disconnection of water resources and water
environment management
The right of administrative punishment is clearly stipulated in the new "Water Law". But the position of
the basin agency subordinate is not clear and its right of administrative penalties is not clear either. As
the vacancy of laws and regulations, no effective means and measures of punishment is undertaking in
Zhangweinan sub-basin management organizations. It is difficult for the management departments to
implement. Furthermore, there is not much funding support, the phenomena of using water without
license and excess of getting water is ubiquity.
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The environmental protection department is responsible for prevention and cure of water pollution
problem in Zhangweinan sub-basins. Waste water discharge should be licensed by the environmental
protection departments. Sub-basin agency is responsible for water quality monitoring of provincial
boundary river and supervise status of water resources protection in the Zhangweinan sub-basins. Water
quantity and quality are the two inseparable features of water resources. Water license and sewage
license are disconnected in the management of water resources in the Zhangweinan sub-basins.
Water pollution in the Zhangweinan sub-basin is a basin-wide pollution which needs to father on the
overall point of view. The previous protection and cure of water pollution is based on the point and
region management taken administrative regions as a unit which does not solve the problem
fundamentally. Although some measures are taken in the Sub-basin, the management does not effect at
all due to lack of legal authority.
2.3 Lack of strategic integrated management objectives and actions
There is no clear ownership of water resources in the upstream and downstream of Zhangweinan
sub-basin. Rational development and utilization of water resources, optimizing the allocation of water
resources, allocation of surface water between upstream and downstream have not undertaken. The
water using status is actually like that who near the water source who satisfied first. Usually, the
upstream is satisfied first and then the water flows to the downstream and used there. There is no
planning of allocation water. If the amount of taking water excesses much of that of supplying water, it
will divert water for the ecological environment.
The water transferring project from Yellow River solves the water shortage problem for Xinxiang and
Dezhou. But the sediment brought by the Yellow River becomes the ecological problems for ever.
In addition, cross-regional characteristics of river water pollution, that is the upstream pollution hazards
downstream, the downstream administrative department can do nothing to the pollution comes from
upstream, therefore, it shakes the determination and confidence of curing the pollution fundamentally
and provides an excuse for downstream pollution.
There is no integrated consideration and programming of water quantity and water quality between
upstream and downstream which is not conducive to resolve the problem of water resources and water
environment.
2.4 Monitoring and management methods are not advanced
First, the infrastructure is weak. The information of water situation and water environment falls behind.
The traditional hydrological method which monitors the water environment can not meet the
management requirement. The information technology lagged far behind and traditional method is still
used. Automation and information technology still need to improve.
Second, the management outlay is not enough and concentrated. Zhangweinan sub-basin covers a wide
range of area and there are many management agencies. Large amount of manpower, material and
financial resources should be involved in supervision and management. However, special fund is
seriously short and it is difficult to carry out the work which hinders the research work on management
of water resources and water environment to a certain extent.
Third, technology management is backward. Although special plans and integrated plans have been
prepared on controlling water pollution within the basin, no plans are made in Zhangweinan sub-basin.
In addition, the plans are difficult to be carried out which causes difficulty in implementing the
management on water consumption, water saving and wastewater discharge.
3 Countermeasure and suggestion
3.1 To improve the framework of policies and laws on water resources and water environment in
the basin constantly
The state legislature should institute the "basin Law", combined with the implementation of the new
"Water Law" to further improve the legal system of water resource management. In the supporting laws
and regulations of "Water Pollution Prevention Law", the legal status of river basin and sub-basin
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organizations and their subordinate should be clearly stated in order to implement integrated
management of water quantity and water quality.
According to the new "Water Law", the matching laws and regulations such as the "the implementation
method on water-using license system" should be revised as soon as possible. The relevant laws and
regulations on collection and utilization of water resources charges, allocation and adjustment of water
amount in Zhangweinan sub-basin should be established. Supervision and management of basin agency
and its subordinate on water-using license should be clearly stated, especially the punishment right.
Based on "Water Pollution Prevention Law", the” Interim Measures on contamination discharge
permits" should be improved and the control of total amount of emissions should be emphasized on the
river capacity of accepting pollutant.
3.2 Reform on the existing management system and forward to an integrated management system
After the new "Water Law" was promulgated, the water management system has changed to the
combination of the basin management and administration management. But how to combine needs
future research and discussion in the future. Good combination method should be sought in order to
coordinate and associate between basin agencies and those agencies in each province and cities.
According to the experience of watershed management both at home and abroad, the effective watershed
management requires a new efficient and authorized management system involved in the beneficiaries
on the basis of democratic consultation. At present, the Tennessee and the Thames river basin
management model are canonized which were established under specific conditions and they are not
suitable for our national conditions and our modern administrative concepts. According to national
conditions and specific situation in watershed and sub-basin, new management system should be
actively explored and set up which combine the sub-basin management and administration management
on the mechanism system of mutual supervision, mutual restraint, mutual promotion and common
development.
Water quantity and quality are the two inseparable natural and social attributes of water resources.
Under present unchanged existing management system, establishment of a high-level joint conference
system for water resources and water environment is recommended. Water conservancy and
environmental protection agency can jointly research water resources and water environmental issues in
sub-basins and let sub-basin agencies play a role on daily management.
3.3 Establishment and implementation the integrated planning of water resources and water
environment in the sub-basin
To aim the sustainable development in the sub-basins as the goal and take the sub-basins as an
ecosystem, combine the impaction on ecological environment and the requirement of water resources
and water environment with social economic development to prepare the integrated planning of water
resources and water environment in the sub-basins. The involved department such as water conservancy,
environmental protection, urban construction, agriculture and so on should be listed in the plan. The
integrated target should be put forward which is suitable for the local sustainable economic, social and
environmental development.
In the development and utilization of water resources, it is necessary to allocate local water sources,
water transferring from the Yellow River and water transferring from the Yangtze River in the future
rationally and control the total water consumption amount. Take Zhangweinan sub-basins as a pilot, the
initial allocation of water resources and establishment of water right transferring system are undertaking
in each region and department in sub-basin on the principle of water saving and in priority of utilizing
local runoff water in order to distribute water for living, production, and ecological use and improve
water ecological environment in the river rationally.
In order to control water environment, the min. runoff is proposed in different sections of Zhangweinan
sub-basin. According to the requirement of receiving pollutant capacity in the river, the contamination
discharge amount is permitted to let out which strides forward to the integrated planning of water
resources and water environment from a single land areas and water region planning.
The implementation of integrated planning is that the local administrative agency takes the full
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responsibility. The targets such as water resources, water environment, water conservation, water
consumption, and pollution control and groundwater restoration should be figured out; plan and
investment should be gradually implemented. The basin agency, local water conservancy and
environmental protection department should carry out supervision responsibilities.
3.4 To improve the system and methods on supervision and management constantly
Zhangweinan sub-basin is a microcosm of the Haihe River basin. There are reservoirs, river channels
and culvert works which directly led by the river basin organizations and irrigation and drainage works
which led by the local department.
Rational division of the management functions and powers of water resources and water environment,
determination of management system of water resources and water environment, establishment the daily
management of operational mechanism, considering the demand of water resources and water
environment which include the follows: establish water resources reporting system, establish the
scheduling management method on water resources and contamination discharge reporting system in
order to manage the total water consumption amount, contamination discharge volume and reporting
system together.
Using meteorological satellite data to analyses the situation of water resources and make short-term
forecasts to put forward contingency plans during shortage of water resources; meanwhile, put forward
the water saving method on the basis of water consumption situation and ET in the sub-basin monitored
by remote sensing. Use the automatic monitoring facilities to know the river water quality and water
amount in the boundary river and propose disposal plan on unexpected water pollution.
3.5 To improve the construction of hardware and software management in the sub-basin
Combined with the watershed information planning and enhance the capacity of water resources
management, develop and improve information management tools through the ongoing World Bank
projects (the Global Environment Facility project) to build a knowledge management platform.
Water management should be based on taking, using, consumption and drainage of water. Monitoring
should be taken regularly. Automatic monitoring facilities on water quality and quantity should be stored
in boundary river and measured the groundwater consumption amount. Collecting, analyzing and
summarizing data should rely on modern information monitoring and management system. It is
necessary to reduce manual surveys, records and statistics in order to shorten the feedback cycle and
strengthen management capacity. In order to meet the modern integrated management requirement on
water resources and water environment, it is necessary to establish the information management system
on water resources and water environment, improve the working efficiency and use modern technology
to increase the management level.
Introduction of the author:
Wang Liqing who was born in 1965. He is the senior engineer of Scientific and Technological Advice
Center of HWCC. E-mail: [email protected].
Found Project:
Funded by China GEF-Hai Basin Integrated Water and Environment Management Project,
No.TF053183.
References
[1]. YU Weidong and WANG Liqing. Design emphasis and objective introduction of key GEF project
in sub-basin of Zhangweinan canal. HAIHE WATER RESOURCES 2005.No.1, 17-18.
[2]. GEF Haihe River Basin water and environment management project, Water License Management
Implementation Plan Project, 2007.
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