Ke Sujuan, Liu Xiaoyan, Wang Daoxi and Xue Jianguo

Yellow River Water Resources Management and Regulation Department of YRCC

Abstract: Since March 1999, our State Department authorized Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) to actualize unity of water regulation in Yellow River, up to now, we have realized no drying up for five years in the condition of continuous low water in Yellow River. The situation of frequent river drying up has been changed. This has brought significant effect in society, economy and entironment. In this paper, the background of actualizing unity of water regulation in the Yellow River, the rules of regulation and the means of regulation are presented; From the aspects of society, economy and entironment, the effect of actualizing unity of water regulation is highlighted.

Key words: Yellow River, unity of water regulation, effect  

1  The background of actualizing unity of water regulation in the Yellow River

As the main water resources of north-west and north region of China, Yellow River, which has 2% of the total river’s runoff of China, takes on the task of providing water for 12% of the total population and 15% of the total irrigation area of China , and over 50 big and middle cites, while still providing water for Tianjin city, Hebei province and Qingdao city through long distance. With the fast development of basin economic society , people’s serious action, continuous low water periods and water using in disorder of Yellow River, the providing-demanding conflict of water resources is becoming more serious, leads to frequent river drying up in Yellow River.

During the 27 years between 1972 to 1998, there are 21 years of river drying up, especially in 90’s 0f 20th century, the river was drying up almost every year. From 1991 to 1998, the average days of river drying up every year is over 100 days. The most serious situation is in 1997, totally there are 13 times of river drying up, the accumulated time is 226 days, the distance of river drying up is 780 km.

The serious river drying up situation has caused highly attention of Communist Party Center, State Department and Society. In April of 1997, two times meeting to discuss about Yellow River drying up and preventing measures were taken by State Department, the Ministry Water Resources, the Planning Committee and the Technology Committee, in the meetings, the leader demanded the related departments and provinces or autonomous regions along Yellow River to follow out firmly the policy of “strengthen management, science regulation, open water resources and save water, water utilization depends on water amount”, adopt efficient measures, give contribution for solving the great problem of Yellow River drying up.

In January 1998, 163 academicians of Chinese Academy of Science and Chinese Academy of Engineering appealed strongly: take actions to help Yellow River!

In order to mitigate the Yellow River water resources providing-demanding conflict and the situation of lower reach drying up, according to the permission, in December 1998, the Planning Committee together with Ministry of Water Resources issued “the Scheme of available water annual distribution and the main river water regulation of the Yellow River” and “the management methods of Yellow River water regulation”, and authorized YRCC to regulate Yellow River water in unity.

Yellow River water regulation in unity is a creative work. Under the right lead of State Flood Control Headquarters and the Ministry of Water Resources, with the cooperation of the provinces or autonomous regions and related units, we have realized Yellow River no drying up for five years, changed the situation of river drying up almost every year, this generates significant benefit in society, economy and entironment.                

2  The rules of Yellow River water regulation in unity

The rules of Yellow River water regulation in unity are: control the total amount,  water using is controlled by available water amount, water resources management and responsibility are in different level; water amount is allocated in unity by state, provinces or autonomous regions take charge for the water dispatching and using, the boundary section discharge is controlled, the big reservoirs are regulated in unity.

3  The means of Yellow River water regulation in unity

3.1   Administration means

(1)  Establish organization and management system

    In order to strengthen Yellow River water resources management and regulation work, in YRCC, the special water resources management and regulation department was established. In every province and autonomous region, the special water resources management and regulation department was established too, to take charge of the local water resources management and regulation. Three levels of province, city and county water resources management system have been formed. This system can make the basin management and local area management united tightly, and play an important role in the Yellow River water regulation in unity.

(2)  Implement the administration director responsibility system

Sincethe emergent draught period in 2003, the administration director responsibility system which main content is to control the province or autonomous region boundary station discharge has been implemented, i.e. the administration director of every level’s government and reservoir management takes charge of keeping the boundary station’s discharge and reservoir’s discharge to meet the scheme’s index.

(3)  Strictness regulation order 

According to the prescription of “Yellow River water regulation management methods”, YRCC takes charge of the Yellow River water regulation in unity. The regulation period is from November to June of next year. In October every year, we make the regulation scheme of next regulation period according long term runoff forecast, which is called yearly scheme, and report the scheme to the Ministry of Water Resources to be examined and approved, then the scheme will be issued to every provinces or autonomous regions along the Yellow River to be implemented.

In every month during the regulation period, according to short term runoff forecast, we will make every month’s regulation scheme on the base of the yearly scheme. During the peak irrigation period (March to June), we also make every ten day’s water regulation scheme according to ten day’s runoff forecast. In emergent situation, we also issue real time’s regulation order. Strictness regulation order is the main means to prevent Yellow River from drying up.

(4)  Strengthen harmonization and management

In Yellow River, water regulation reach is long and it involves the benefits of town’s and county’s people living, industry and agriculture, river channel entironment and water structure generating electricity etc.. It is needed to harmonize the conflicts of water using coming from every aspects, so whenever at key time, we often hold water regulation harmonization meetings, together with related departments to analysis and study the water regulation situation, and discuss the measures to pass difficult time safely. At the same time, in order to strengthen contact and solve water regulation problems in time, we established related departments contact people system.        

(5)  Strengthen supervisal and examination  

Every year during irrigation fastigium, water providing-demanding conflict is very serious, the possibility of river drying up is very high. In order to ensure the regulation order to be implemented, and prevent Yellow River from drying up, we strengthen the supervisal and examination about water using of every province or autonomous region, by the combination method of online and on the spot. Prevention of the exceed water diverting in time, relieved the risk of river drying up for many times.

3.2  Structure Means

(1)  Exertion the regulation function of reservoirs   

It is a key measure of Yellow River water regulation in unity to use skeleton reservoirs to regulate water. Through united regulation of Longyangxia, Liujiaxia, Wanjiazhai, Sanmenxia and Xiaolangdi reservoirs on main river, storing water during flood season, supply water during non-flood season, water resources collocation is optimized, all kinds of water need is satisfied in the most degree, and Yellow River no drying up is ensured.

    (2)  Exertion the control function of diverting sluices   

On the main Yellow River, there are 340 diverting sluices now, the total design diverting discharge is about 6200m³/s. When emergent situation(river near drying up) happens, to close the related diverting sluices quickly is an efficient measure to relieve river drying up risk. 

3.3  Technical means

(1)  Mend the modernization construction step of hydrological information monitoring and issuing   

Hydrological information is the base of water regulation, it plays a key role. In order to monitor and issue hydrological information more accurately, Hydrology departments have mended  the hydrology monitoring and issuing upgrade step. They have developed suspending box cableway discharge measure system and boat discharge measure system etc., built low water measure device, perfected low water measure scheme, increased the frequency of information measuring and issuing.

(2)  Construction the modern Yellow River water regulation and management system   

The traditional water regulation means have the disadvantages of slow and lag etc., can not satisfy the need of water regulation in unity. So we construct Yellow River water regulation and management system actively. Up to now, the Yellow River water regulation center and the Yellow River water regulation management system project have been built, which centralizes information collection automatizaton system, computer network system, making decision supporting system and diverting sluices remote monitor and control system in the lower reach. The technical level of Yellow River water regulation is developed significant.

3.4  Economic means

(1)  Using water price to promote saving water   

In order to save water, one side is to collect water fee, another side is to adjust water price. The State Planning Commission and the Ministry of Water Resources have adjusted water price of the Lower Yellow River diverting sluices for many times; In April 2000, Ningxia Autonomous Region issued new water price police, computing water fee according to water amount through Dou Channel; In Inner Mongolia He Tao irrigation region, the water price policy is reformed, water price in different level has been implemented, the water which surpasses the allocation index has high price. In every provinces of the Lower Yellow River, the experimental unit policy has been developed which is “ two water(irrigation water and non-irrigation water) being separate, two fee (irrigation water fee and non-irrigation water fee) being counted separately”. These polices promoted saving water efficiently.    

(2)  Established the Yellow River water right and water market initially  

In order to explore the means of optimizing collocating Yellow River water resources by market, YRCC made and issued “the Yellow River water right conversion management method (try out)”, and from April 2003, water right conversion experimental unit work has been developed in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions on the main Yellow River. Five experimental units which have good base work and advantages have been authorized, the saved water by agriculture is conveyed with price to main industries which have better benefit, this will promote the local economy to develop. Up to December 2004, 90 million cubic meter per year of conveyed water amount has been permitted.

In Henan and Shandong provinces, the agreement system of diverting water from Yellow River has been implemented universally, the water is supplied after the agreement being signed between the water supply unit and water user, then according to the agreement, Xiaolangdi Reservoir is regulated, the situation of “diverting water in disorder and water waste serious” has been changed gradually.

3.5  Law means

(1)  Completing the laws   

In order to regulate Yellow River water resources by law, according to “Water Law of Republic of China”,YRCC advanced “Yellow River Water Regulation Byelaw in Unity(edition of solicit for opinion)”. In the byelaw, the contents of regulation rules, responsibility, manner, popedom, supervising and punishment etc. are included. Now, the byelaw has been submitted to State Department, it is possible to be permitted by the end of this year.

(2)  Establishment rules and system   

In order to strengthen the system of water resources regulation, realize the standardization and scientific of water regulation, YRCC has made over ten measures such as “Water Regulation Responsibility System of the Lower Yellow River (try out)”, “the Means of Controlling Water total amount Diverting from the Yellow River”, “the Emergent Treatment Rules of the Yellow River Water Regulation Outburst Events” etc. This ensured the water regulation orders to be implemented smoothly.

4           The effects of water regulation in unity

Since regulated the Yellow River water in unity from 1999, we have realized no

drying up for five years, the situation of river drying up frequently is changed basically.   Water utilization in fairness among areas is ensured, the general benefit of the Yellow River water is exerted in the maximum, and we got the double win both in basin economic society and entironment.

4.1              Society benefit

(1)        No river drying up and water supply safely is ensured

In the last ten years of 20^th century, the yellow river was drying up almost every

year. Since 1999, the Yellow River experienced continuous dry year, especially in 2000, 2001, 2002, the amount of annual run off were less than that in 1997,which year the river drying up situation was the most serious. And during January to June of 2003, the runoff amount is only half of many year’s average amount of the same period, the available water amount is 5 billion m³ less than the demanded water. But, because we regulated Yellow River water in unity, during the continuous dry years, we have realized no drying for five years. This ensures the water supply safe of the basin, especially in the river mouth area.

(2)        Saving water and water resources allocated in optimize are promoted

The water regulation in unity considers water supply to every province, every reach and two sides of the Yellow River. The water supply availability to every area is equal. The water utilization efficient is enhanced. Saving water and water resources allocated in optimize are promoted.

According to statistic, before water regulation in unity(1988~1998), the annual surface water consumption amount is 29 billion m³, since water regulation in unity, it is 27.15billion m³, reduced 1.85 billion m³ . In 1997(before water regulation in unity), the water consumption ration of one GDP is 560m³, in 2003(after water regulation in unity), the water consumption ration of one GDP is 309m³, reduced 45%.

(3)        The establishment of water right and water market is promoted

    Yellow River water regulation in unity promoted the establishment of water right and water market. Now, “the management method of Yellow River water right conversion implement ion ” has been come on. In order to solve the “bottle-neck” of economic developing, Some provinces which consuming water in large amount dispatch water in optimizing, save the agriculture water using, and convey the saving water from agriculture to industry with pay. Now, in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia autonomous, five water right experimental spots have been developed, and some social and economic benefits have been achieved. 

4.2              Economic benefit

(1)  Irrigation area is increased

From the Yellow River water regulation in unity, the agricultural water is allocated scientifically, and scientific agriculture is implemented in every irrigation area. In 2000, which was a great drought year, the total irrigation area along the Yellow River was increased near 300000 ha. than usual, and got a great harvest.

(2)  The economic gross of the related areas is increased

The Yellow River water regulation in unity has improved the safe coefficient of water supply, supported the development economic environment, and supported fast increase of the GDP. According to initial calculation, since water regulation in unity was implemented, the generated accumulated economic benefit has been 17.2 billion yuan, the average value of every year is 3.44 billion yuan. According to the general economic analysis, From 1999 to 2004, the accumulated increased economic gross is 154.45 billion yuan in related areas. Average increased 30.9 billion yuan every year.

(4)        The generated electricity amount is increased 

Since water regulation in unity, the electricity benefit of Longyangxia Reservoir,

Liujiaxia Reservoir, Wanjiazhai Reservoir, Sanmenxia Reservoir and Xiaolangdi Reservoir has been increased significantly. In 1999 and 2000, the electricity generated by Liujiaxia Reservoir increased 14% and 23% than the average value respectively; From November of 2003 to June of 2004, the generated electricity by Longyangxia Reservoir, Liujiaxia Reservoir, Wanjiazhai Reservoir, Sanmenxia Reservoir and Xiaolangdi Reservoir was 12.62 billion kilowatt, which is the highest amount of the history.

4.3              Entironment benefit

(1)             The water quality of the main reaches has been improved

The Yellow River water regulation in unity changed the water distribution in time

and space of the main river, the water quality in main reaches has improved, and the water function has been enhanced. Before and after water regulation in unity, the relative time every year of class Ⅲ water quality of Lanzhou cross section has been increased from 75% to 92.55; in the lower reach of Xiaolangdi, the relative time every year of class Ⅳ water quality has increased 10%. Besides, the water pollution event when reflow is avoided.

(2)             The water amount of river mouth is increased, the biology diversity is developed

The water regulation in unity increased the water amount in river mouth region.

According to statistic, in Lijin hydrological station, which is the nearest station to river mouth, the average water amount of non-flood period is 2.3 billion m³, increased 0.55 billion m³ than that of before water regulation in unity. The trend of marsh area shrunk quickly in river mouth delta has been kept within limits. It has active influence to keep integrality, the biology diversity and stability of ecosystem in the delta.

5           Conclusion

Yellow River water regulation is a creative work, although we have

gotten some achievement, still there are many problems to be solved, such as  the law and rules are not healthiness, water resources are not allocated in optimality etc.. So we still have a lot of work to do, and we also invite all the international experts to contribute your wisdom to the water resources management and regulation in Yellow River.  

 Reference

Ye Bingru. Water Resources System Optimization Planning and Regulation. Publishing Company of China Hydraulic and Electricity. July 2001.

Huang Qiang etc.. Reservoirs Operation and Intelligent Decision Support System for Yellow River.   Publishing Company of Shanxi Science and Technology. November 1996.

 Source:  www.yellowriver.gov.cn   Editor:HuangFeng