Water Resources Allocation in the People's Republic of China

Water resources allocation is a process for changing the natural or status quo distribution of water resources to meet requirements for economic and social development. The uneven distribution of water resources across China, both in space and time, makes water resources allocation of particular importance. China has developed a legal framework for the allocation of water resources that operates at three levels: at the river basin/regional level, at the abstractor level, and within public water supply systems. China has also built related systems to manage these allocations. Water resources allocation planning, and the implementation of related management systems, is occurring across China. However, there are significant problems in respect of how issues of integration and consistency between these three levels of allocation are addressed. Water resources allocation plans will need to be adopted as regulatory instruments, rather than the aspirational targets they currently are, to provide greater certainty for water users. Reversing the deteriorating health of rivers and freshwater ecosystems will require plans to set aside more water to meet ecological flow requirements. At a more basic level, the allocation and planning process would benefit greatly from utilization of water resources management models and increased stakeholder involvement.