ABSTRACT
I. Physiographic Conditions and Water Resources...... 321 A. Physiographic and Climate Conditions ............. 321
1. Physiography ................................................. 321 2. Climate and Precipitation............................. 322
B. Water Resources .................................................. 322 1. Surface Water ................................................ 322 2. Groundwater .................................................. 322 3. Water Quality ................................................ 323
II. Drought and Water Shortage Issues ........................ 324 A. Perception of Drought and Water Shortage ...... 324 B. Impact of Drought on Economic and
Social Development ............................................. 325 1. Major Natural Disaster in the
Agricultural Sector ........................................ 325 2. Increasing Water Shortage in
Urban Areas................................................... 326
3. Major Constraints on Development of Pasture Areas ............................................ 326
4. Drinking Water Supply Problems ................ 327 C. Impact of Drought on Environment................... 327
1. Drying of Land, Lakes, and Rivers .............. 327 2. Environmental Degradation Due to
Lowering of the Groundwater Table ............ 328 3. Water Pollution .............................................. 328
III. Water Use Trend in the Past Half Century............. 329 A. The Changing Rate of Water Use in Different
Sectors and Administrative Regions.................. 329 B. Significant Structural Change of Water Use .... 333 C. Steady Decline of Per Capita Water
Use After 1980..................................................... 333 IV. Drought Control and Management........................... 334
A. Building a Drought Control and Management System........................................... 334 1. Developing Irrigation Systems .................... 334 2. Soil and Water Conservation........................ 334 3. Developing Rain-Fed Agriculture ................. 335 4. Drought Monitoring, Planning, and
Management during Dry Periods................. 335 B. Improving Water Use Efficiency......................... 335
1. Improving Irrigation Technique ................... 335 2. Promoting a Water Tariff System ................ 336
C. Institutional Building for Drought Management ........................................................ 336 1. Establishing National Flood Fighting and
Drought Relief System.................................. 336 2. Organizing Drought Relief Teams in
Rural Areas .................................................... 337 D. Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Measures ............ 338
1. Water Law...................................................... 338 2. Water-Withdrawing Permit System ............. 339 3. Water-Saving Policy....................................... 339 4. System Reform of Water Charge and
Levy of Water Resources Fee........................ 339
V. Perspectives on Water Supply and Demand in the 21st Century.................................................... 339 A. Low Level of Per Capita Water Use .................. 339 B. Anticipation of Water Use Trend ....................... 340
VI. Conclusion................................................................... 341 References............................................................................ 342
I. PHYSIOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS AND WATER RESOURCES
A. Physiographic and Climate Conditions
1. Physiography
China is located in the southeastern part of the Asian continent. Its total area is 9.6 million km2, which accounts for 1/15 of the total land area of the earth. Topographically, China is divided from east to west into three areas consisting of plains, plateaus, and high mountains, which form a slope inclining toward the Pacific Ocean, with all major watercourses flowing from west to east. The highest area is the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, with an elevation higher than 4000 m and numerous mountains, valleys, and lakes. It is the source area of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. The area to the north of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and the eastern part of Sichuan Province, with an elevation of 1000-2000 m, constitutes the second area of China. It is composed entirely of plateaus and mountains. The Daxing’an, Taihang, and Wushan mountains and the area to the east bordering the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau up to the coastal areas of China constitute the third area, where the hills and plains crisscross each other. Most hills are less than 1000 m, and the elevation of the coastal plain areas is less than 50 m.
