The problems of water resources in North China and the strategy

Abstract

North China, whose total area is 420,000 km², covers 2 provinces and 2 cities (Shanxi and Hebei provinces, Beijing and Tianjin) and the territories of Henan and Shandong provinces to the north of the Huanghe (Yellow) River, and part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Liaoning Province. Most of this region, which is situated in the semi-humid, semi-arid continental climate temperate zone, gets an annual precipitation of 500–600 mm, whereas, the perennial average amount of total water resource is 50.99 billion m³, including 33.82 billion m³ of surface water, 32.94 billion m³ of ground water and 15.77 billion m³ of their duplication. Due to the intensive exploitation of water resource caused by the deficiency of water resource in North China, key elements of water balance was changed, runoff volume reduced, evaporation increased, vertical movement of moisture strengthened, water circulation pattern transformed from open system into regionally closed system; meanwhile, due to the incompetent water purification system in comparison with the wastewater discharge, the pollution of water bodies goes bad to worse. Furthermore, some water bodies becomes unusable. The reduction in runoff amount, both surface and under ground, and the pollution of water body cause a series of environmental problems. The essential contributing factors of the water resources problems in North China are the deficiency of water resource and water pollution. The deficiency was mainly caused by fast increase in water consumption and water pollution, besides the fragility of local natural conditions. The deficiency is consequently brought about by population growth and economic development incoordinate with local circumstance. The strategies to deal with the water resources problems should include the following aspects: 1) the establishment of water-saving economy and society, 2) proper management and rational utilization of water resources, 3) the exploitation of new water resources, and 4) the improvement of wastewater treatment ability.