Comprehensive Evaluation of Agricultural Water Resources’ Carrying Capacity in Anhui Province Based on an Improved TOPSIS Model

Abstract

In recent years, China has made significant progress in rural revitalization and agricultural modernization. Agricultural water resources play a crucial role in promoting high-quality agriculture and ensuring the sustainable use of water resources. This study focuses on assessing the status of agricultural water resources’ carrying capacity in Anhui Province and promoting their sustainable use. The evaluation index weights were determined using the improved structural entropy weighting method under the traditional TOPSIS model. The gray weighted TOPSIS model was then constructed using the gray correlation matrix to evaluate the carrying capacity of agricultural water resources in Anhui Province. The findings indicate that the carrying capacity of agricultural water resources in Anhui Province has shown a fluctuating upward trend from 2000 to 2020. The lowest carrying capacity was observed in 2001, with a comprehensive score of 0.2647, while the highest was in 2020, with a comprehensive score of 0.7004. According to the M-K trend test, the carrying capacity of agricultural water resources in Anhui Province is expected to increase in the future. Specifically, the carrying capacity in the southern region of Anhui Province is gradually increasing, while that in the northern region is decreasing. The central cities have remained relatively stable in recent years. To ensure the sustainable use of agricultural water resources, it is recommended that Anhui Province increase the construction of agricultural water resource management and field water conservation facilities, as well as promote the construction of high-standard farmland. These measures will contribute to the high-quality development of agriculture and the coordinated spatial use of water resources.