Abstract
Seawater intrusion has occurred in the coastal area of the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea as early as the 1970s, and the situation is worsening, with rapid socioeconomic development in recent years. Substantial amounts of groundwater have been exploited to support socioeconomic activities, especially agricultural activities, causing a reduction in the groundwater level, and hence the intrusion of seawater. This issue seriously restricts the sustainable socioeconomic development of these coastal areas. To this end, this paper applied the improved Tapio decoupling theory to analyze the degree of decoupling, and the spatial difference between the economic growth and the groundwater consumption of the five provinces and cities in the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea in the period of 2003–2016. Based on the improved STIRPAT (Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology) model and panel data, we determined the driving factors of groundwater consumption in the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. The results demonstrated that the effective irrigation area of farmland should be expanded, new water-saving technology should be introduced, the crop planting structure should be readjusted, and the consumption of groundwater should be reduced. By implementing these measures, it would be possible to contain seawater intrusion in the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea.
Highlights
Coastal areas are often characterized by dense populations and rapid economic growth [1]
The worsening seawater intrusion along the coasts of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea elevated the challenges of groundwater ecological environment protection
The decoupling model is used to evaluate the relationship between economic growth and groundwater consumption for these study areas in the period of 2003–2016
Summary
Coastal areas are often characterized by dense populations and rapid economic growth [1]. The overall goal is to provide empirical evidence on the overexploitation of groundwater; and theoretical support on handling the problem of seawater intrusion in the coastal provinces and cities of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. The decoupling model is used to evaluate the relationship between economic growth (i.e., regional GDP) and groundwater consumption for these study areas in the period of 2003–2016. The decoupling model is used to evaluate the relationship between economic growth (i.e., regional GDP) and groundwater consumption for these study areas in the period of 2003–2016 Through such quantitative analysis, we would be able to understand the influence of different driving forces of groundwater level consumption and to formulate feasible management strategies to achieve sustainable groundwater consumption and manage seawater intrusion
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