Abstract
To comply with the national strategic layout adjustment in recent years, and to promote ecological civilization construction in China western region, it is necessary to study the opportunities and challenges in the Western Route Water Transfer demonstration brought by in ecological and environmental changes in both water-source regions and water receiving regions. By referring to the operation management experience of the Eastern and Middle routes of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project, this paper analyzed the ecological and environmental changes of the Western Route Project’s water transfer rivers, and the relationship between water and sediment of the Yellow River in water-receiving regions, found out the integrating point between the Western Route Project and the new development ideas, and finally concluded that the ecology must be given to priority in the demonstration of the Western Route Project. The early stage work of the Western Route Project needed to follow the general principles as for any major water conservancy project, which includes to demonstrate the project necessity given fully employing the water-saving potential, and to give highest priority to ecological security. Several relationships need be coordinated between: water source regions and water-receiving regions in water-saving, water ecological restoration and water resources development, water pollution control and water resources management, government leading and society participation, etc. These instruments above will guarantee both the water-source and water-receiving regions could benefit from the Western Route Project, help to solve the contradiction between ecological protection and water resources allocation, and facilitate achieving the target of sustainable development.
Highlights
The ratio of water transfer in each dam site of the Western Route Project (WRP) is between 59.4% and 69.2%, and the ratio of discharge is between 29.3% and 38.8%, which may have certain influence on the growth of vegetation and aquatic organisms along the shore, and the rivers’ self-purification capacity in water-intensive areas
It is necessary to consider the measures to restore and protect the water ecosystem in water-receiving areas, and improve the environmental capacity and carrying capacity, so as to demonstrate the measures to minimize the impact of water transfer on the ecology in order to maintain the ecological security
The WRP water transfer rivers are located in water source area in the upper Yangtze River, which has been listed in national key ecological function areas and national ecocivilization construction demonstration area
Summary
The 13th Five-Year Plan for Reform and Development of Water Resources proposed that the preliminary demonstration of the WRT should be further deepened, according to the new situations, ideas, and requirements of economic and social development, and changes of water and sand in the Yellow River basin. The WRP can alleviate the serious water shortage in water-receiving area, improve the ecological environment, maintain the healthy life of the Yellow River, and provide effective water resource guarantee for the Belt and Road Initiative. Some changes in water transfer area have made an impact on the ecological environment of the water-transfer rivers. In Sichuan Province, large-scale and highintensity development of hydropower resources has been 2.3 Both incoming water and sediment from the carried out. Both Lianghekou and Shuangjiangkou Yellow River show a downward trend, but the hydropower stations have successively started up, which relationship between water and sediment is still would have a significant impact on the hydrological uncoordinated situation of the water-transfer rivers when completed. It is necessary to summarize the experience and problems in their initial operating stage, which will provide references in the demonstration of the WRP
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