Water management in the Yellow River Basin

Management of China’s Yellow River Basin is at a critical stage. Decreasing water supplies, increasing demand for water and a rapidly growing economy have added new challenges to a management agenda that has traditionally focussed on flood control and irrigation development.

The Yellow River has often been associated with catastrophicfloods at scales unimaginable in much of the rest of the world. For thatreason, Chinese administrations from ancient times to the present have madeflood control the number one priority in Yellow River management. Major achievements have been madein this area, especially since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. However, while flooding is still amajor issue, changing circumstances have brought new challenges to themanagement of this vital river. 

Research conducted by theInternational Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Yellow RiverConservancy Commission (YRCC) examines the history of the Yellow River Basin and the critical issues now being faced by residents and managers.Ultimately, issues related to water scarcity are expected to dominate futuremanagement priorities.  The researchshows:

• Waterresources within the Yellow River Basin are fully allocated at present. Watershortages are becoming a critical issue in many areas.
• The riskof floods in the Yellow River Basin remains and the cost of these floods haveincreased with development.
• Soilerosion is a critical problem in the Yellow River Basin.
• Waterquality is worsening in many parts of the river and the problem is increasingin scale.
• Environmentaluses of water are only now being considered and will place additional pressureson current uses.

The previous need by river basin managers tofocus on flood control has meant that institutional, legal, and technicalresources to address the new water management challenges have yet to fullydevelop. To resolve this, the research makes the following recommendations:

• River basininstitutions must further shift from a focus on water development and controlto water management.
• New waterallocation systems, based on realistic estimates of supply and demand, must bedeveloped. In particular, mechanisms to address growing industrial, domesticand environmental demands must be devised which consider the welfare offarmers, one of China’s poorest population segments.
• Integratedwater management may be one way to both control floods and improve wateravailability.
• While technologyto control erosion should continue to be pursued, broader social strategiesshould also be examined.
• Legal andinstitutional reforms are needed to better control pollution.
• Additionalresearch on inter-sectoral water allocation, the potential for water savings inirrigation, pollution control and treatment, environmental use, data issues andinstitutional reform is needed.

The Yellow River Basin faces a range of major threats andopportunities. To manage these threats and capitalize on the opportunities willrequire substantial changes in institutional policy and practice. Given China’s dramaticsuccess in a variety of reforms over the last 25 years, there is every reasonto believe China will also be successful in reforming Yellow River basinmanagement. The key will be political will backed by sound information andresearch.