Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect

Aquatic Procedia 2 ( 2014 ) 24–34

World Water Week, 1-6 september 2013, Stockholm, Sweden

Environmental Restoration in the Basin, : Conservation, 5HDOORFDWLRQDQGPRUH(I¿FLHQW8VHRI:DWHU

Q. Zhua and Y. Lib

a Room 77-403, Yijiequ, Taihuguoji Shequ, Binhu , Wuxi 214123, China.* b Research Institute for Water Conservancy, 13, Guangchang Nanlu, , 730000, China.

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Overexploitation of water resources in the Shiyang River Basin, an inland river in Gansu, China has promoted a SURVSHURXVDJULFXOWXUDOHFRQRP\EXWDWWKHVDPHWLPHFDXVHGGRZQVWUHDPÀRZVWRVKDUSO\UHGXFHDQGWKHJURXQGZDWHU table to fall rapidly. This has degraded local ecosystems and caused the terminal lake to completely dry up. A project for addressing these problems was initiated aimed at rescuing a downstream oasis that was at risk of being buried by the moving dunes. During the project implementation, the irrigation area has been decreased, a water conservation program introduced and water use reallocated between upstream and downstream users and between economic and ecosystem services. Positive results have started to appear. The main factors in this preliminary success are positive political ZLOODQGFHQWUDOJRYHUQPHQWVXSSRUWWKHDFFHSWDQFHDQGZLGHSDUWLFLSDWLRQE\ZDWHUXVHUVDQGWKHHVWDEOLVKPHQWRID powerful integrated water resources management organisation.

©© 20142014 Elsevier The Authors. B.V. This Published is an open by access Elsevier article B.V. under the CC BY-NC-ND license (3HHUUHYLHZXQGHUUHVSRQVLELOLW\RIWKHVFLHQWL¿FFRPPLWWHHRI6WRFNKROP,QWHUQDWLRQDO:DWHU,QVWLWXWHhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of Stockholm International Water Institute Keywords: ecosystem restoration; water reallocation; water conservation; inland river basin; arid area

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The Shiyang River Basin is one of the three inland river basins in the northwest of Gansu Province, China. It is located in the western part of Gansu along the and the ancient Silk Road. The Shiyang River can be divided into three parts in terms of geomorphology, namely, the rocky Qilian Range in its upper reaches where the eight tributaries of the Shiyang River originate, the Quaternary alluvial fan in the middle reaches and the alluvial plain in the ORZHUUHDFKHV .DQJDQG=KDQJ0Det al.D 7KHPLGGOHDQGORZHUUHDFKHVRIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHUDUHLPSRUWDQW agricultural regions despite being arid with low annual precipitation and high potential evapotranspiration. The altitude, annual precipitation and evaporation of these three geomorphologic units are shown in Table 1, and a map of the Shiyang River Basin is shown in Figure 1.

* Corresponding author. Email address: [email protected]

2214-241X © 2014 Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of Stockholm International Water Institute doi: 10.1016/j.aqpro.2014.07.005 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 ( 2014 ) 24–34 25

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Table 1. Elevation, annual precipitation and potential evaporation of the Shiyang River

*HRPRUSKRORJLF (OHYDWLRQDERYH $QQXDO $QQXDOSRWHQWLDO XQLW VHDOHYHO P SUHFLSLWDWLRQ PP HYDSRWUDQVSLUDWLRQ PP Qilianshan Range 2000-5000 300-600 700-1200 Alluvial fan 1400-2000 150-300 1200-2000 Lower alluvial plain 1200-1400 < 150 2000-2600

The Shiyang River is fed by eight main tributaries with a total catchment area of 41,600 km2. The annual runoff of these tributaries amounts to 1.56 billion m3ZKLFKÀRZVRXWIURPWKHPRXQWDLQVRQWRDYDVWDOOXYLDOIDQFRPSRVHGRI deep gravel and sand. The tributaries converge at the southern boundary of the downstream plain. Seepage from the FDQDODQGLUULJDWLRQV\VWHPVIRUPWKHJURXQGZDWHUDQGVSULQJZDWHUZKLFKWRJHWKHUZLWKWKHÀRRGZDWHUIURPWKHWULE- utaries, are the main water sources feeding the downstream Minqin Basin. The total water resources of the basin amount to 1.66 billion m3, including the surface runoff and the groundwater minus overlap that is common to surface runoff and WRDTXLIHU =KX*DQVX3URYLQFLDO%XUHDXRI:DWHU5HVRXUFHV>*3%:5@DQG*DQVX3URYLQFLDOGHYHORSPHQWDQG 5HIRUP&RPPLVVLRQ>*3'5&@  26 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 (2014 ) 24–34

 6LQFHWKHVWKHUHKDVEHHQVLJQL¿FDQWGHYHORSPHQWRIWKHZDWHUUHVRXUFHVLQWKHEDVLQ%\UHVHUYRLUV with a total capacity of 450 million m3 had been built and seven of the eight main tributaries had been dammed. The PDLQDQGEUDQFKFDQDOVGLYHUWLQJZDWHUIURPWKHULYHUVWRLUULJDWHG¿HOGVKDYHDWRWDOOHQJWKRINPPRVWRIZKLFK have been lined with concrete or masonry for seepage control. Additionally, 16,900 wells have been constructed, LQFOXGLQJLQWKHGRZQVWUHDP0LQTLQ%DVLQ .DQJDQG=KDQJ*3%:5DQG*3'5& 

 $PRQJWKHWZRPXQLFLSDOLWLHVDQGHLJKWFRXQWLHV GLVWULFWV LQWKHEDVLQ/LDQJ]KRX'LVWULFWLQWKHPLGGOHVHFWLRQ and in the lower reaches of the basin are the main agricultural water users. The population in the basin is 2.27 million in 2003, of which 68 per cent are rural. The cultivated land accounts for 371,000 ha, of which 300,000 ha is irrigated. Due to its well-developed irrigation system, the Shiyang River Basin has the most productive agriculture LQWKHSURYLQFHDQGLVRQHRIWKHPDLQDUHDVRIFRPPHUFLDOJUDLQSURGXFWLRQLQ*DQVX .DQJDQG=KDQJ*3%:5 DQG*3'5& 7KHEDVLQDOVRKRVWVWKHVHFRQGODUJHVWQLFNHOUH¿QHU\LQWKHZRUOG,QWKH*'3SHUFDSLWD ZDVWLPHVWKDWLQWKHZKROHSURYLQFH KWWS]KZLNLSHGLDRUJZLNL*'3RI*DQVX3URYLQFH*3%:5DQG*3'5&  

A unique feature of the water resources system in the basin is the complex interplay between surface and groundwater. The seepage water from irrigation systems in the upper basin recharges the groundwater in the lower SDUWV$IWHUXVHE\WKHZHOOVWKHJURXQGZDWHUZLOOÀRZRXWWRUHDSSHDUDVVSULQJVDQGEHFRPHDZDWHUVRXUFHDJDLQ IRUULYHUVGRZQVWUHDP 0Det al.D 7KHWRWDOZDWHUGLYHUVLRQE\UHVHUYRLUVFDQDOVDQGZHOOVLQWKHEDVLQLV characterised by a multiple replication of using the water resources. This amounted to 2.88 billion m3 in 2003, accounting for 173 per cent of the water resources, of which irrigation water use accounted for 86 per cent. The intense water resource development in the past now appears unsustainable as although it successfully supported the rapid economic and social development it also caused serious ecological and environmental problems. This is especially true in the downstream Minqin Basin which now faces the risk of being buried by sand dunes. This is threatening an oasis community spread over an area of 1,000 km2WKDWKDVH[LVWHGIRUPDQ\FHQWXULHVEXWPLJKWGLVDSSHDULQWKHQHDUIXWXUH .DQJDQG =KDQJ*3%:5DQG*3'5& 

3UREOHPVZLWKZDWHUUHVRXUFHVPDQDJHPHQWLQWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ

 7KH VLJQL¿FDQW SURJUHVV LQ WKH UHFHQW VRFLDO DQG HFRQRPLF GHYHORSPHQW KDV EHHQ REWDLQHG DW WKH FRVW RI RYHU use of water resources and serious degrading of ecosystems and the environment. These have been studied by many LQYHVWLJDWRUV .DQJDQG=KDQJ.DQJ et al.:DQJet al DQGWKH*3%:5DQG*3'5&  7KH main problems are listed as follows.

2.1. Unbalanced use of water resources between the middle and lower basin

In the past 50 years, the annual water consumption from the middle reaches of the Shiyang River increased from 567 million m3LQWKHV¶WRELOOLRQP3LQDQGWKHLUULJDWLRQDUHDLQFUHDVHGE\SHUFHQW7KHZDWHUÀRZRIWKH eight main tributaries was stored in the reservoirs and/or diverted by sluices into the canal system for supplying water WR/LDQJ]KRX'LVWULFW2QO\ÀRRGZDWHUZDVDOORZHGWRÀRZWRWKH0LQTLQ%DVLQ6HHSDJHFRQWURODQGJURXQGZDWHU H[SORLWDWLRQLQWKHPLGGOHSDUWVRIWKHEDVLQUHGXFHGWKHJURXQGZDWHUÀRZWRWKHORZHUEDVLQGRZQVWUHDP .DQJDQG =KDQJ*3%:5DQG*3'5&0Det al.D $VDUHVXOWWKHDQQXDOZDWHUÀRZGRZQVWUHDPGHFUHDVHG sharply from 460 million m3LQWKHODWHV¶WRPLOOLRQP3LQ)LJXUHVKRZVFKDQJHVLQWKHLQÀRZWRWKH +RQJ\DVKDQ5HVHUYRLUWKHRQO\VXUIDFHVRXUFHLQ0LQTLQ&RXQW\VLQFHWKHV .DQJDQG=KDQJ*3%:5 DQG*3'5& 

Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 ( 2014 ) 24–34 27

500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 Annual runoff 10^6 m3 10^6 Annual runoff 50 0 1956-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-2000 2003 Year

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2.2. Overexploitation of groundwater causing the water table to fall

 6LQFHWKHVDORQJZLWKWKHLQFUHDVHRIZDWHUGHPDQGDQGWKHGHJUDGLQJRIVSULQJÀRZZHOOVKDYHEHHQEXLOW UDSLGO\WRPLWLJDWHWKHZDWHUVKRUWDJHV,Q0LQTLQ&RXQW\LQSDUWLFXODUDQHQRUPRXVGHFUHDVHRIVXUIDFHZDWHULQÀRZV forced farmers to switch to using groundwater for irrigation, causing serious overexploitation of groundwater and a continuous decline in the water table. Furthermore, in the 1990s, driven by the economic improvements, farmers in Minqin County built numerous wells for growing seed melons, a high value crop. It is estimated that over use of the groundwater amounted to 0.43 billion m3, 26 per cent of the water resources. The water table has descended by 6-7 m in the Liangzhou Basin and 15-16 m in the lower Minqin Basin, respectively. The annual drop in the water table has been LQWKHUDQJHRIP7KHPD[LPXPGURSZDVPLQWKHVRXWKDQGPLQWKHQRUWKRI0LQTLQ%DVLQ .DQJDQG =KDQJ*3%:5DQG*3'5&0DHWDOE 

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While irrigation water has comprised 86 per cent of the total water use in the basin, the water used by ecosystems and industry only amounted to 4.5 and 5.4 per cent, respectively. The GDP per unit of water used has been about 86P3, only 1/5 of that averaged in the state. The grain production per unit of water used has been about 0.41 kg/ m3, compared to 0.6-1.0 kg/m3LQWKHVWDWH *3%:5DQG*3'5& 

2.4. Serious deterioration of the natural environment in the Minqin Basin

This has been highlighted by the following: • The Minqin Basin is surrounded by the deserts to the northwest and northeast and has always been at risk of GHVHUWL¿FDWLRQ DQG VDQG GXQH HQFURDFKPHQW ,Q WKH SDVW  \HDUV VLQFH WKH 4LQJ '\QDVW\ DERXW  KD RI cultivated land and 6,000 villages have been buried by dunes. Since the 1950s, about 870 ha of land has become GHVHUWDQGDQRWKHUKDKDVEHHQDIIHFWHGE\WKHGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQ7KHVDQGGXQHVDUHHQFURDFKLQJDWDUDWHRI PHDFK\HDUDQGLQVRPHORFDWLRQVWKHWZRGHVHUWVIURPZHVWDQGHDVWKDYHDOUHDG\MRLQHG .DQJDQG=KDQJ *3%:5DQG*3'5&  • The rapidly descending water table has caused the death of 6,400 ha of trees and decline of 5,800 ha of forest which previously survived by tapping groundwater through its root system. Furthermore, 36,000 ha of shrubs located at the SHULSKHU\RIWKH0LQTLQ2DVLVKDYHGLHGDQGKDRIVKUXEODQGKDVVXIIHUHGIURPGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQ ;X  28 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 (2014 ) 24–34

• 5HGXFWLRQRIIUHVKZDWHUÀRZLQJLQWR0LQTLQ%DVLQDQGLQYDVLRQRIVDOW\ZDWHUIURPWKHQRUWKGXHWRORZHULQJ RI WKH ZDWHU WDEOH KDV GHJUDGHG JURXQGZDWHU TXDOLW\ 8VLQJ LQFUHDVLQJO\ VDOLQH ZDWHU IRU LUULJDWLRQ KDV IXUWKHU accelerated this process. In the northern part of Minqin County, the mineral content of the groundwater reached J/RUHYHQKLJKHU .DQJDQG=KDQJ:DQJet al. FDXVLQJGLI¿FXOW\IRUGULQNLQJZDWHUVXSSOLHV IRUDERXWUXUDOLQKDELWDQWV ;X DQGUHVXOWLQJLQPDQ\IDUPHUVKDYLQJWROHDYHWKHLUODQGDVHFRORJLFDO refugees. • The terminal Qintu and Baitinghai Lakes shrank, which formerly acted as barriers helping to resist the encroachment of sand dunes. The lakes had provided a northern greenbelt in the Minqin Basin and prevented the two deserts from MRLQLQJWRJHWKHUEXWLQWKH\FRPSOHWHO\GULHGXS$IWHUWKDWGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQLQWKH0LQTLQ%DVLQDFFHOHUDWHG Loss of the terminal lakes meant loss of the stability created by the Minqin Oasis and this eventually affected the stability of the whole Shiyang River system and Hexi Corridor. This threatened to badly impact not only the envi- URQPHQWDORQJWKHDQFLHQW6LON5RDGEXWSRWHQWLDOO\WKDWRIWKHZKROHQRUWKZHVW&KLQD .DQJDQG=KDQJ0D et al.,E 7RVWRSWKLVEHWWHUZDWHUPDQDJHPHQWRIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQEHFDPHDQXUJHQWSULRULW\

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7KHHYROXWLRQRI0LQTLQ2DVLVFDQEHGLYLGHGLQWRWKUHHVWDJHV )HQJ QDWXUDOGUDLQDJHVHPLQDWXUDO GUDLQDJHDQGDUWL¿FLDOGUDLQDJH7KHQDWXUDOGUDLQDJHVWDJHRFFXUUHGLQWKHSUHKLVWRULFSHULRGSULRUWRPXFK human activity in the basin. At this stage the maximum area of the terminal lake then named Zhuyeze occurred and was estimated at between 0.9 × 104 and 5.8 × 104KD 0Det al.E 7KHWHUPLQDOODNHWKHQ began a continuous decline throughout the historic period. Changing climate may have had some effect on this, but more importantly it was due to increasing human activity. With the development of irrigation and DJULFXOWXUHVLQFHWKH+DQ'\QDVW\ %& QDWXUDOGUDLQDJHJUDGXDOO\FKDQJHGWRVHPLQDWXUDOGUDLQDJH WKHPDLQ 6KL\DQJ5LYHUEHFDPHDVHDVRQDOULYHUDQGWKHPDLQSDUWRIWKHÀRZZDVGLYHUWHGLQWRDUWL¿FLDOFDQDOV DQGZDV ¿QDOO\UHSODFHGE\DFRPSOHWHO\DUWL¿FLDOGUDLQDJH FDQDO V\VWHPLQWKHPLGWKFHQWXU\'XULQJWKHSURFHVV KXPDQVFRQVXPHGPRUHDQGPRUHZDWHUDQGDVDUHVXOWOHVVZDWHUÀRZHGLQWRWKH0LQTLQ%DVLQFDXVLQJWKH water table to fall. People also cut many trees and shrubs at this time, causing sand dune encroachment. As a result, the lake split into a group of smaller lakes and then into marshes and wetlands. By the late 19th century all that remained was the small Lake Qingtu which at one stage dried up completely, reforming only after a ELJÀRRG5DSLGSRSXODWLRQJURZWKLQWKHWKFHQWXU\FDXVHGDFRQWLQXRXVGHFUHDVHRIWKHODNHDUHDIURP 120 km2 in the early part of the century, to 40 km2 by the 1940s and completely drying up from 1959 onwards *3%:5DQG*3'5& 7DEOHVKRZVWKHSRSXODWLRQJURZWKDQGDJULFXOWXUDOGHYHORSPHQWLQGLIIHUHQW KLVWRULFSHULRGVDQGWKHFRUUHVSRQGLQJUHJLPHRIWKHODNH =KX )LJXUHLOOXVWUDWHVWKHODNHPDSLQ different periods.

Table 2. Population growth and agricultural development around the terminal lake

3HULRG 7LPH 3RSXODWLRQ &XOWLYDWHG 5HJLPHRIWHUPLQDOODNHDQGWKHGUDLQDJHV\VWHP  ODQG KD Pre-history Before 20 Natural drainage system 475 BC Warring states to Han 475 BC- 136 80,000 Very big Zhuyeze Lake, natural drainage Dynasty 111 AD Han to Shui Dynasty 111 AD- 163 133,000 Split into two mid-size lakes, semi-natural drainage 580 AD Tang to Qing Dynasty 580 AD- 410 133,000- Split into a number of small lakes, seasonal river 1840 193,000 4LQJ'\QDVW\WR3HRSOH¶V 1840- 924 133,000 Only Qintuhu Lake remained, seasonal river Republic of China 1949 3HRSOH¶V5HSXEOLFRI 1990s 2200 285,000 /DNHWKRURXJKO\GULHGXSDUWL¿FLDOGUDLQDJH China 2003 2269 371,000 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 ( 2014 ) 24–34 29

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The main problem in the Shiyang River Basin has been that the development of water resources has far exceeded its carrying capacity. Water diverted and consumed amounted to 173 and 125 per cent of the water resources, respectively. Overexploitation of groundwater accounted for 25 per cent of the total water resources. Since 1980, the population, irrigated area and grain production each increased by 33, 30 and 45 per cent, respectively. At the same time the GDP LQFUHDVHGE\SHUFHQWZKLOHSHUFHQWRIWKHSRSXODWLRQFRQWLQXHWREHHQJDJHGLQDJULFXOWXUH *3%:5DQG *3'5& &RQFXUUHQWO\WKHZDWHUUHTXLUHGWRVXSSRUWWKHHFRV\VWHPKDVEHHQVHULRXVO\UHGXFHG$OOWKLVKDV DJJUDYDWHGZDWHUFRQÀLFWVDPRQJVWWKHYDULRXVVHFWRUV,QWKHSDVW\HDUVWKHZDWHUGHYHORSPHQWLQ6KL\DQJ5LYHU %DVLQZDVFRPSOHWHO\XQUHJXODWHG7KHVHWWLQJXSRIWKHXQL¿HGZDWHUPDQDJHPHQWLQVWLWXWLRQZDVWKXVDQHVVHQWLDO¿UVW step to change the problematic situation in Shiyang River Basin.

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The water management problems of the Shiyang River Basin have attracted the attention of many experts since the early 1990s. However, despite a number of reports and recommendations being sent to government agencies at both the provincial and state level, practical action only began at the beginning of the new century. In 2001, a directive from WKHSDVW3UHPLHU0U:HQ-LDEDRLQDUHSRUW³1HYHUOHWWKHWUDJHG\RI/RS1RUKDSSHQDJDLQLQ0LQTLQ´ VHH%R[  JDYHWKH¿UVWSXVKWRZDUGVLPSURYHGPDQDJHPHQWRIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ7KLVVWDUWHGZLWKWKHHVWDEOLVKPHQW of the Water Resources Administration of the Shiyang River Basin the same year, which is the representative of the Gansu Bureau of Water Resources and is authorised to manage overall water resources in the basin. The second step was to engage relevant institutions to formulate an integrated water resources plan for the Shiyang River Basin with WKHVXSSRUWRIWKH6WDWH&RUHWRWKHSODQZDVWRLGHQWLI\VLJQL¿FDQWDQGXUJHQWPHDVXUHVIRUUHVFXLQJWKH0LQTLQ Oasis. The harnessing of the basin was to follow the basic line of saving the Minqin Oasis, restoring ecosystems and the 30 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 (2014 ) 24–34

environment and conserving water resources in the basin. The plan was to reallocate the water resources between various water users and between the middle and lower parts of the basin. An integrated plan for realising the goal of ecosystem restoration and sustainable development for the region was formulated. A water rights system was to be determined and managed and a water conservation society set up in the basin.

The plan was approved by the Ministry of Water Resources in 2006 and was soon after being implemented. The State DSSURYHGLPSOHPHQWDWLRQRIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ+DUQHVVLQJ3URMHFWDQGSURYLGHG86PLOOLRQLQ¿QDQFLDO support. Relevant government agencies at various levels have been responsible for implementation of the plan. The key DFWLYLWLHVQRZEHLQJLPSOHPHQWHGLQWKHEDVLQDUHRXWOLQHGEHORZDVSHU*3%:5DQG*3'5&  

According to the plan, water development was to be reduced from the 2007 maximum of 2.88 billion m3 SHU FHQWRIWRWDOZDWHUUHVRXUFHV WRELOOLRQP3 SHUFHQWRIWRWDOZDWHUUHVRXUFHV LQDQGWRELOOLRQP3 SHUFHQWRIZDWHUUHVRXUFHV E\,QDIWHUWKUHH\HDUVRILPSOHPHQWDWLRQRIWKHSODQZDWHUXVHRIWKH Wuwei Municipality that occupied 80 per cent of the total water use in the Basin had been reduced from 2.326 billion m3 in 2006 to 1.612 billion m3 :XZHL'DLO\ DQGKDVEHHQIXUWKHUUHGXFHGLQWKH\HDUVIURPWR7KH fact meant that the planned 2010 target has been surpassed. This was realised through the following measures:

 $VHULHVRIGRFXPHQWVIRUVSHFL¿FZDWHUPDQDJHPHQWLQWKHEDVLQZHUHSURGXFHGRXWOLQLQJWKHSODQLQFOXGLQJWKH µ5HJXODWLRQRIZDWHUUHVRXUFHVPDQDJHPHQWLQ6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ¶DQGWKHµ,PSOHPHQWDWLRQSODQRIWKHZDWHUDOORFDWLRQ DQGGLVWULEXWLRQLQ6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ¶7KHVHGRFXPHQWVSURYLGHDOHJDOEDVLVIRUWKHLQWHJUDWHGPDQDJHPHQWRI water resources in the basin and were strictly followed in the allocation of water among different sectors and counties administered by government agencies at various levels.

According to the plan, the irrigated area of the basin was to be reduced from 297,000ha in year 2003 to 207,000 ha in 2020. In 2010, the irrigated area in the Wuwei Municipality, the main irrigation water user in the basin, was reduced E\KD

 $ZDWHUFRQVHUYDWLRQSURJUDPIRUWKHZKROHEDVLQKDVEHHQLPSOHPHQWHGLQFOXGLQJHQKDQFLQJWKHHI¿FLHQF\RI irrigation systems, reducing the water use quota for both irrigation and industry and promoting waste water recycling. 7KHUHZHUHNPRILUULJDWLRQFDQDODQG¿HOGGLVWULEXWLRQV\VWHPRQKDRIODQGXSJUDGHGIRUVHHSDJHFRQWURO DQGLPSURYHGHI¿FLHQF\

 5HGLVWULEXWLRQRIZDWHUXVHEHWZHHQXSVWUHDPDQGGRZQVWUHDPXVHUVWRHQVXUHLQÀRZVRIQROHVVWKDQDQG million m3 downstream by 2010 and 2020, respectively, is ongoing. In addition to reduction of the water use in the midstream , a water diversion project from Xiying River in the middle part of the basin to Minqin Basin was built and 130-150 million m3 of water were transferred annually from 2010 to 2012. A further 50-80 million m3ZDVDOVRWUDQVIHUUHGIURPDSXPSLQJVWDWLRQRQWKHQHLJKERULQJ

Groundwater exploitation was planned to be reduced from 1.48 billion m3 in 2003 to 690 million m3 in 2010 and 660 million m3 in 2020. In 2010, the groundwater draft reduced to 600 million m 3 in the Wuwei and Minqin Basins, a reduction of 53 per cent compared to 2003. This was done by closing 3,300 wells and limiting the water exploitation in the existing wells. Intelligent water and electricity meters were installed on 13,000 existing wells for which the electricity VXSSO\ZLOOEHVZLWFKHGRIIDXWRPDWLFDOO\VWRSSLQJIXUWKHULUULJDWLRQZKHQWKHUDWHGZDWHUTXRWDKDVEHHQXVHG 0D 

 ,QGXVWULDOSUDFWLFHVKDYHEHHQPRGL¿HGWRHQVXUHDKLJKHUSURGXFWLYLW\RIZDWHUXVHZKLOHDJULFXOWXUDOZDWHUXVHZLOO be reduced to relieve pressure on the water resources system as a whole.

 7KH DJULFXOWXUDO SUDFWLFHV KDYH VWDUWHG EHLQJ PRGL¿HG LQFOXGLQJ D UHGXFWLRQ LQ WKH SODQWLQJ RI PRUH water-demanding and lower-value crops and increasing water-saving and higher-value cash crops. The grain production will be mainly for domestic consumption but not for sale in the market. Promoting the use of greenhouse technology IRUGHYHORSLQJKLJKYDOXHFURSVLQGRRUFXOWLYDWLRQDQGHQKDQFLQJSURGXFWLYLW\LQWHUPVRIµFURSSHUGURS¶%\WKHHQG of 2011, in Wuwei Municipality, 20,300 ha of greenhouses had been built and 35,200 ha of orchards for growing local VSHFLDOIUXLWVKDGEHHQGHYHORSHG3UHOLPLQDU\WULDOVVKRZHGWKHHFRQRPLFEHQH¿WRIKDRIJUHHQKRXVHZDVHTXLYDOHQW WRKDRIJUDLQFURSVEXWZLWKRQO\WRRIWKHZDWHUXVH

 :LWKUHVSHFWWRLQGXVWU\WKRVHZKLFKDUHKLJKO\SROOXWLQJDQGRUXVHZDWHULQHI¿FLHQWO\KDYHEHHQFRQYHUWHGWRRU replaced by, cleaner, water-saving enterprises.

The water use for trees for wind breaks and commercial forests is being increased. The urban and rural domestic water supply will also be improved by enhancing the supply quota while at the same time promoting water conservation and water-saving techniques.

Around Lake Qingtu, a preserved area of 70 km2 was established. To the end of 2011, trees/shrubs were planted on 1,330 ha of sand dunes/deserts and 180 ha of land along the road. An area of 67 ha was set up as a demonstration base RIWKHQHZWHFKQRORJ\IRUUHVLVWLQJVDQGHQFURDFKPHQW 0D 

 6LQFHDZDWHUULJKWVV\VWHPZDVHVWDEOLVKHGLQWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ7KHZDWHUULJKWVZHUHFOHDUO\GH¿QHG and assigned to various water use sectors including the county/district, township and village, and household levels. A market for trading of water rights has been set up and 310,600 households in the Wuwei Municipality received a FHUWL¿FDWHRIZDWHUULJKWV

Five years after the start of implementation of the plan, the following positive results had been achieved and report- ed.

• 0HDVXUHPHQWVRIUXQRIIVKRZWKHVXUIDFHZDWHUÀRZLQWRWKH0LQTLQ%DVLQLQFUHDVHGWRPLOOLRQP3 in 2010 and WRPLOOLRQPLQ 0D 7KHJRDORILQFUHDVLQJZDWHUÀRZVWRWKH0LQTLQ%DVLQLVEHLQJUHDOLVHG • Monitoring data indicate that overexploitation of groundwater has ceased. The groundwater table in parts of Minqin %DVLQKDVVWDUWHGULVLQJ,QWKHJURXQGZDWHUWDEOHDURXQG/DNH4LQJWXKDGULVHQE\FP 0D ,Q-LDKH 7RZQVKLSORFDWHGDGMDFHQWWRWKH7HQJJHOL'HVHUWVHYHQZHOOVZKLFKFORVHGLQQRZKDYHZDWHUÀRZLQJRXWGXH WRWKHZDWHUWDEOHULVLQJ/DQGVXIIHULQJIURPGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQEHIRUHWKHKDUQHVVLQJSURMHFWKDVKDGDUHHGPDUVKZLWK DUHDRIKDUHHVWDEOLVK$QXPEHURIROHDVWHUWUHHVKDYHUHYLYHG :XZHL'DLO\  • 2YHUH[SORLWDWLRQ RI ZDWHU UHVRXUFHV KDV EHHQ VWRSSHG 7KH WRWDO ZDWHU XVH RI :XZHL 0XQLFLSDOLW\ WKH PDMRU ZDWHUXVHULQ6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ KDVEHHQUHGXFHGWRSHUFHQWRIWKDWLQ:DWHUXVHIURPWKHPLGEDVLQ /LDQJ]KRX'LVWULFWKDVGHFUHDVHGSHUFHQWFRPSDUHGWR :XZHL'DLO\  • :DWHUDSSHDUHGDJDLQLQ/DNH4LQWXLQIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHVLQFHFRYHULQJDQDUHDRINP2. The area was further enlarged to 10 km2LQ )LJXUH $ZHWODQGJURZLQJUHHGVDQGJUDVVHVKDVIRUPHGDURXQG/DNH4LQJWX 0D  • $VWDWHZLGHLQYHVWLJDWLRQLQWRGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQIRXQGWKDWWKHIRUHVWFRYHUDJHLQ0LQTLQLQFUHDVHGIURPWRSHU cent between 2006 and 2010 due to extensive tree planting. Along the periphery of the Minqin Oasis, desert shrubs +DOR[\ORQDPPRGHQGURQ&KLQHVHWDPDULVN KDYHEHHQZLGHO\SODQWHGDQGQXPHURXVVDQGGXQHVKDYHEHHQ¿[HG by planting shrubs in the pattern of 1m × 1m2 )LJXUH 

  )LJXUH4LQWXKH/DNHLQ   )LJXUH'HVHUWVKUXEVWR¿[VDQGGXQHV 32 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 (2014 ) 24–34

• With adopting water-saving irrigation techniques, building greenhouses subsidised by the government and planting fruit trees, the farmers increased their incomes, although their irrigated area was reduced. In 2011, the added value of agriculture and the rural net income per capita in Wuwei Municipality increased by 6.2 and 23.6 per cent compared WRUHVSHFWLYHO\ 0D 

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 ,QWKH¿YH\HDUVVLQFHWKHRSHUDWLRQWRµ5HVFXHWKH0LQTLQ2DVLV¶EHJDQVRPHSUHOLPLQDU\VXFFHVVHVKDYHEHHQ achieved. The eco-environment of Shiyang River Basin has started to be managed in a sustainable way that integrates the restoration of the ecosystem with advancing social and economic progress. In addition to having a better water resources management plan, the factors that have promoted this successful process are listed as follows.

The political will and support from the government, especially from the central government, has been the most essential factor for successful implementation of the Shiyang River Basin Harnessing Project. The previous Premier 0U:HQ-LDEDRJDYHVHYHUDOVSHFL¿FGLUHFWLYHVDQGSRLQWHGRXWWKDW³7KH0LQTLQVKRXOGGH¿QLWHO\QHYHUEHWKHVHFRQG /RS1RU´ VHH%R[ 7KH3UHPLHU¶VGHFLVLRQUHÀHFWVDQLPSRUWDQWVWUDWHJLFFKDQJHLQVWDWHSROLF\LQUHFHQW\HDUV that has put ecological issues as one of the top priorities. It was summed up in the keynote presentation at the opening FHUHPRQ\RIWKHWK1DWLRQDO&RQJUHVVRI&RPPXQLVW3DUW\RI&KLQD &3& LQE\+X-LQWDR*HQHUDO6HFUHWDU\ RIWKH&HQWUDO&RPPLWWHHRI&3&DQG&KLQHVH3UHVLGHQWZKLFKHPSKDVLVHGWKHQHHGWRPDNH³JUHDWHIIRUWVWRSURPRWH HFRORJLFDOSURJUHVV´+XSRLQWHGRXW³:HPXVWJLYHKLJKSULRULW\WRPDNLQJHFRORJLFDOSURJUHVVDQGLQFRUSRUDWHLWLQWR all aspects of advancing economic, political, cultural, and social progress, and work hard to build a beautiful country and achieve lasting and sustainable development for the Chinese nation.” This strategic change has certainly affected all NLQGVRISUDFWLFHVLQ&KLQD7KH3UHPLHU¶VVXSSRUWKDVSOD\HGDGHFLVLYHUROHLQPDNLQJWKHFKDQJHLQZDWHUUHVRXUFHV PDQDJHPHQWRIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ:LWKRXWVXSSRUWIURPWKHFHQWUDOJRYHUQPHQWWKHORFDODXWKRULW\ZRXOG¿QG LWGLI¿FXOWWRUDLVHHQRXJKIXQGVDQGFRXOGQRWPDNHWKHFKDQJHVRUDSLGO\*UHDWLPSRUWDQFHKDVEHHQIRFXVHGRQ realising the goal of the project by the authorities at all levels including the central government, the Gansu provincial government and the relevant local government agencies.

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Lop Nor was an ancient lake and the second largest salt water body in China with maximum area of more than 10,000 km2, located at the lower end of the Tarim and Kongqi Rivers. In early times the abundant water resources RI/RS1RUVXSSRUWHGWKH/RX/DQ .URUDLQD .LQJGRPIURP%&WR$'7KHNLQJGRPKDGEHHQDQ important trading and transportation hub along the Silk Road. The city was prosperous with an area of 108,000 m2DQGSRSXODWLRQUHDFKLQJ+RZHYHUE\WKHWKFHQWXU\WKHNLQJGRPZDVLQGHFOLQHDQG¿QDOO\IHOOLQWR ruins. The green forests around the city were buried by the desert. There were many reasons for the decline of the Lou Lan Kingdom including change of climate, changing river courses, frequent wars and disease. But the impact of human activity was one of the most important factors. Archaeologists have found that the houses in /RX/DQ&LW\ZHUHDOOPDGHRIZRRGLQGLFDWLQJWKDWSHRSOHKDGKDGWRFXWPDQ\WUHHV (XSKUDWHVSRSODU IRU their buildings and as a result lost the water sources conserved by the forests. After the disappearance of the Lou Lan Kingdom, Lop Nor survived for another 1,300 years. As recently as 1942 the lake still had an area of 3000 km2 but owing to the large scale reclamation and over use of water resources of the Tarim, Kongqi and other rivers after the 1950s, the area of Lop Nor decreased to 660 km2 in 1962. Finally in the 1970s it completely dried up and became a desert. The 1,300-km Tarim River also lost a section of 300 km in its lower reaches which FHDVHGWRÀRZFDXVLQJWKHGHDWKRIWKHSRSODUWUHHVDORQJLWVEDQNV6LQFHWKHODWHVDZDWHUWUDQVIHUSURJUDP for supplementing the Tarim River and rescuing the ecosystem in South has begun. As a result one of the downstream lakes along the Tarim River, Taitema Lake, has recovered its water. Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 ( 2014 ) 24–34 33

Acceptance of the plan and participation by the water users was a key condition to ensuring success of the project. 5HDOORFDWLRQRIZDWHUUHVRXUFHVDPRQJYDULRXVZDWHUXVHUVZDVFHQWUDOWRVKDULQJWKHEHQH¿WVDPRQJWKHP%RWKWKH irrigated area and irrigation quota of the households in the Shiyang River Basin has been reduced and there is less water available for everyone. In the beginning of the project implementation, many farmers did not accept the harnessing plan, and some even resented the project implementation, especially when their irrigated area was reduced and wells FORVHG 0D $VHULHVRIPHDVXUHVWKHUHIRUHKDGWREHWDNHQWRHQVXUHWKHEHQH¿WVWRWKHZDWHUXVHUVFRXOGEH maintained or even increased after reduction of their water allocations.

 7RPDLQWDLQRUHYHQLQFUHDVHWKHKRXVHKROGV¶LQFRPHDIWHUWKHLPSOHPHQWDWLRQRIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ3URMHFW the following measures have been undertaken: • The government has provided subsidies to farmers for building greenhouses to develop vegetable production and indoor husbandry for increasing their income. • The government has also provided support to farmers to buy water-saving irrigation equipment like drip and low-pressure pipe irrigation. The technical service and dissemination of market information also follows to help the farmers master the new techniques and sell their products. • 7KHJRYHUQPHQWKDVDOVRSURYLGHGDVVLVWDQFHWRVXUSOXVUXUDOODERXUWR¿QGMREVLQWKHFLWLHV

After adopting the measures outlined above, many farmers in the basin started to change their attitude once they UHDOLVHGWKDWWKHUHGXFWLRQRIWKHLUZDWHUDOORFDWLRQGLGQRWKDYHDVLJQL¿FDQWLPSDFWRQWKHLULQFRPHV)XUWKHUPRUHWKH water rights system enabled them to have greater control over their own water use.

To establish a water rights system and strengthen community awareness and capacity building, the following were carried out: • The water rights system has clearly been determined for each farmer based on their share of irrigated land and their irrigation water quota. Every farmer knows how much water they can use and that any unused water can be traded and sold on the open market for money. • 7KHUHKDYHEHHQZDWHUXVHUV¶DVVRFLDWLRQVHVWDEOLVKHGLQYDULRXVLUULJDWLRQGLVWULFWV$OOZDWHUXVHUVKDYHWKH right to be informed and to participate in all aspects of local water management initiatives. For the water-related affairs such as reducing the irrigated area, closure of wells, greenhouse construction or migration agreements will be VLJQHGEHWZHHQWRZQVKLSYLOODJHDQGWKHIDUPHUV :XZHL'DLO\  • The awareness and capacity building was strengthened for all participating water users involved in implementing the Shiyang Basin Harnessing Project.

A powerful authority for overseeing the implementation of the plan is the institutional guarantee for ensuring the success of the Shiyang River Basin Harnessing Project. The Water Resources Administration of Shiyang River Basin is the organisation managing the administrative affairs in the basin. After its establishment a number of rules and regulations were formulated with technical and legal input by many relevant institutions and adopted and enshrined by WKHSURYLQFLDOJRYHUQPHQW:LWKWKHVHUXOHVDQGUHJXODWLRQVWKHWRWDODPRXQWRIZDWHUXVH VXUIDFHDQGJURXQGZDWHU  in the basin could be controlled, water use quotas for domestic, agricultural and industrial users determined and water rights assigned.

The current changes in Shiyang River Basin are aimed towards initiating an improved integrated water resources management approach. To completely restore the ecosystem in the Minqin Basin requires a massive sustained effort for DYHU\ORQJSHULRG7KHFXUUHQWJRDORIWKH6KL\DQJ5LYHU%DVLQ+DUQHVVLQJ3URMHFWLVWRµ5HVFXHWKH0LQTLQ2DVLV¶EXW not to completely harness the water resources system of the basin.

There are many issues the project does not address that need to be further studied. What will be the ultimate goal of the harnessing of the basin and what would be the appropriate water distribution between ecosystem restoration and economic and social development? Since the evaporation is high, what would be the optimum surface area of the terminal lake to meet the demand of resisting the encroaching desert on two sides? Furthermore to what extent should the groundwater table in the Minqin Basin be recovered to ensure that desert plants grow? Finally, how can water EHXVHGHYHQPRUHHI¿FLHQWO\WRSURPRWHVRFLDODQGHFRQRPLFGHYHORSPHQWDVZHOODVWKHQDWXUDOHQYLURQPHQWLQDQ integrated way? All these challenges can only be solved through improved practices over the very long term. 34 Q. Zhu and Y. Li / Aquatic Procedia 2 (2014 ) 24–34

The Shiyang River Basin Harnessing Project represents a strategic change in approach to water resources management: from pursuing immediate economic interest only to achieving a long-term, integrated and sustainable EHQH¿W$WHPSRUDU\UHGXFWLRQRISURGXFWLRQEHQH¿WVUHVXOWVIURPDUHGXFWLRQRIZDWHUXVHDQGLUULJDWHGODQGKRZHYHU this can be compensated by such factors as adopting water-saving techniques and structural change of water use. The ORQJWHUPEHQH¿WRIWKHFKDQJHLVWRDYRLGORVVRIDQDQFLHQWRDVLVDQGQHJDWLYHHQYLURQPHQWDOLPSDFWVLQWKHZKROH northwest China. This change can be replicated in areas with similar conditions. For instance, in the neighbouring Heihe River Basin, water transfer from the middle reach has been carried out to recharge two downstream terminal lakes that disappeared in the 1970s and to save the Euphrates poplar forests. Another example is the water transfer VFKHPHLQWKH7DULP5LYHU%DVLQRSHUDWLQJVLQFHWKHODWHV VHH%R[ 

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