Abstract
Determining the changes in the urban water footprint (WF) of the Tibetan Plateau is important for sustainable development within this region and in downstream regions. Taking Xining, the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau, as an example, this study quantified the changes in the WF of this region in the 2005–2018 period. We found that Xining’s total WF increased by 22.6%, from 8.9 billion to 10.9 billion m3 in this period. The increase in Xining’s gray WF (WFgray) resulting from the intensification of urban point-source pollution was the primary cause of the increase in its total WF. Xining’s WFgray from point-source pollution increased by 75.3%, from 3.1 billion to 5.4 billion m3. In addition, Xining’s WF far surpassed the amount of available water resources (WA) in this region. It is possible to prevent Xining’s WF from exceeding its WA only by simultaneously controlling point- and nonpoint-source pollution in the future. Thus, it is recommended that great importance be attached to the rapid increase in the WFgray of the Tibetan Plateau resulting from rapid urbanization and that effective measures be implemented to control point- and nonpoint-source pollution, so as to safeguard sustainable development within the Tibetan Plateau and in downstream regions.
Highlights
As the “Asian Water Tower” [1], the Tibetan Plateau spawns rivers that are well-known both domestically and internationally, such as the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Lancang River
The Tibetan Plateau abounds with water resources, and its water-use dynamics are vitally important for its own sustainable development and that in downstream regions [3]
Assessing the state and dynamics of urban water use on the Tibetan Plateau and, on this basis, reasonably planning the allocation of water resources are crucial for facilitating sustainable development within the Tibetan Plateau and in its downstream regions [6]
Summary
As the “Asian Water Tower” [1], the Tibetan Plateau spawns rivers that are well-known both domestically and internationally, such as the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Lancang River. It is a region with concentrated lakes, glaciers, multiyear snow cover, and permafrost, and is strategically important for producing, storing, and transporting water resources in China and even Asia [2]. The Tibetan Plateau abounds with water resources, and its water-use dynamics are vitally important for its own sustainable development and that in downstream regions [3]. Assessing the state and dynamics of urban water use on the Tibetan Plateau and, on this basis, reasonably planning the allocation of water resources are crucial for facilitating sustainable development within the Tibetan Plateau and in its downstream regions [6]
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