The characteristics of water resources and the changes of the hydrological process and environment in the arid zone of northwest China |
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| Authors: | G Wang G Cheng |
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| Institution: | (1) Geology department of Lanzhou University, and Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Geocryology, CAS, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China e-mail: gwang@ns.lzb.ac.cn, CN;(2) Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Geocryology, CAS, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China, CN |
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| Abstract: | Water resources in the arid zones of northwest China mainly come from mountain areas and then flow to and disappear in the
piedmont plains. These water resources, with inland river basins as the geographic unit, form relatively independent ecosystems
and the surface runoff flowing out of the mountain mouth becomes the only water source available for the middle and lower
reaches of these basins. Both the ecosystem stability and sustainable development depend on the surface water and groundwater
resources of these inland river basins. Over the last 50 years, exploitation of water and land resources in the arid northwest
regions of China has been expanding, forming 390.07×104 ha of irrigation oases, with construction of 622 reservoirs of different sizes with a total storage capacity of 65.5×108 m3 ensuring the sustainable development of industrial and agricultural production. In the meantime it has also caused a series
of environmental changes. Discharge of the majority of rivers has been drastically reduced (even dried up), river courses
have been shortened, and terminal lakes contracted or dried up. Land desertification and soil salinization has developed rapidly.
Vegetation is degrading and biodiversity is decreasing, as compared with the early 1950s; the natural grassland area is decreasing
by 16–75.4%. Economical and high-effective use of water resources and harmonization of eco-environment benefits with economic
benefits are the fundamental ways to achieve sustainable development of arid northwest China.
Received: 20 January 1999 · Accepted: 4 May 1999 |
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| Keywords: | Arid northwest China Characteristics of water resources Eco-environment Variation |
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