Current Research Status and Perspective of Water Resources Carrying Capacity in the Arid and Semi-arid Regions of Northwest China

Abstract

The imbalance between supply and demand of water resources in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China is growing increasingly severe. Consequently, it is essential to study the water resources carrying capacity in the key areas timely. The research on water resources carrying capacity in these areas was summed through three aspects—city, district and valley, which is from focusing on local domain to doing systematic research on man-land relationship. Then, the research methods of water resources carrying capacity were summarized and analyzed, including simple routine method, fuzzy evaluation, principal component analysis, ecological footprint method, multiple objective decision making method and systematic dynamics method. Moreover, the relative merits and application condition were also provided. Finally, it is presented that the research on water resources carrying capacity in future would still refer the concept, theory and research methods. Ecological environment will be put more focus on and the growing number of methods and technique will be used.