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Bringing Sustainability Down to Earth: Heihe River as a Paradigm Case of Sustainable Water Allocation

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Abstract

The article analyses a transdisciplinary wicked upstream–downstream conflict over water allocation in an arid region of Inner Mongolia (China). This conflict is about scarce water resources which can be either allocated to irrigation agriculture upstream or to preservation and restoration a rare ecosystem downstream. This conflict is located at the interface of environmental and agricultural ethics. The case study is about Heihe River, agricultural demands for irrigation in the region of Zhangye, and endangered Tugai forest at downstream Heihe in Ejina oasis. Authors use a theoretical approach of environmental philosophy and rely on the concept of ‘strong sustainability’. From this background two normative yardsticks are derived: a constant natural capital rule and the overall satisfactory goodness of a river basin. Both yardsticks are not met at Heihe. Downstream, we see the endangered Tugai forest as a location which should be preserved de re. We argue for a viable institutional water saving strategy within the agricultural areas of Zhangye district by which Tugai forests at downstream Heihe might be restored. Our case study indicates that even wicked problems can find proper and prudent solutions.

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Notes

  1. We thank John O’Neill for the distinction between “de dicto” and “de re” valuation.

  2. This paper addresses water problems in the eastern subsystem of Heihe, i.e. the mainstream.

  3. This paper abstracts away from the most important Chinese space station in Jiuquan.

  4. According to the Water Plan, Zhangye has an annual freshwater resource of 2.65 Bm3. Heihe provides 1.58 Bm3/year, and the rest 1.07 Bm3/year from the Liyuan River, other smaller streams, and groundwater.

  5. Note, that the current lakes (East Juyanhai, Swan-Lake) and the former end-lakes (West and East Juyanhai) are not identical! The West Juyanhai Lake has already dried up since the 1960s. The East Juyanhai dried up completely in the early 1990s, and reappeared gradually since 2001 and remains at ca. 29,000 km2 till today.

  6. The best available peer-reviewed literature is Cao et al. (2004), Chen et al. (2005), Feng et al. (2001), Gua et al. (2011), Guo et al. (2008), Ji et al. (2006), Liu et al. (2011), Lu et al. (2003), Meng et al. (2003), Qi and Luo (2005, 2004), Wang et al. (2011), Wen et al. (2005), Xu et al. (2003), Zhang et al. (2009), Zhang (2007) and Zhao et al. (2007).

  7. For more information about eudemonic values and environmental narratives see Ott and Gordon (2016).

  8. Oboos are sacred sites for Mongolian people and most of them are now suited in the symbols of Mongolian Buddhism.

  9. This vision stems from a Mongolian researcher, Dr. Manliang, who joined our field trip to Ejina. We adopted Dr. Manliangs vision and conceived it in some detail.

  10. Since the fund of Heihe water is finite, there is a trade-off within Ejina region between natural recovery of Tugai and the former and current end lakes of Heihe River north of Ejina. There is no realistic chance to refill the former existing Western end-lake which has fallen dry since many years. The opportunity costs to let enough water pass after a recovered oasis to the former Western lake are extremely high (Xu et al. 2003). The end-lakes might have some sightseeing value for tourists and there might be provisional value for birdlife, but these values might be of minor importance than making use of the water for restoring Tugai forests including Tamarix and grasslands. In case of conflict, we would prioritize oasis restoration over end-lake conservation.

  11. 1 Yuan ≈ 0.12 € in 2013.

  12. Even if water saving potentials could be generated in Zhangye district, the problem remains how to prevent that saved agricultural waters will be allocated to new commercial activities within Zhangye district. Such activities should mobilize own water saving potentials and pollution reduction via investments. Thus, the amount of water for industries may remain constant over time.

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Acknowledgments

The research at the Heihe River has been funded by Kurt-Eberhard-Bode Foundation of the Stifterverband (Germany) as part of the SuWaRest project (2010–2014; see Cirella and Zerbe 2014).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philosophisches Seminar, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Leibnizstr. 6, 24118, Kiel, Germany

    Konrad Ott & Lilin Kerschbaumer

  2. Klasmann-Deilmann Gmbh, Georg-Klasmann-Str. 2-10, 49744, Geeste, Germany

    Jan Felix Köbbing

  3. World Agroforestry Center, Central Asia Office, Toktogul Street 138, 720001, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    Niels Thevs

  4. Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Soldtmannstraße 23, 17487, Greifswald, Germany

    Niels Thevs

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  1. Konrad Ott
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Ott, K., Kerschbaumer, L., Köbbing, J.F. et al. Bringing Sustainability Down to Earth: Heihe River as a Paradigm Case of Sustainable Water Allocation. J Agric Environ Ethics 29, 835–856 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-016-9640-9

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