Establishing a model of conjunctive regulation of surface water and groundwater in the arid regions

Abstract

A conjunctive model was established to regulate surface water and groundwater allocations in an arid river basin in northwest China. In the model, water data for the current year was used to calculate the optimal water resources allocation in the basin for a future year. Results showed that the current water resources were sufficient to meet the highest priority water needs (daily life, industry, ecological environment), but there was insufficient water to meet the needs of arable agriculture, including irrigation, in its current form. The model results highlight the need for reduced groundwater exploitation, agricultural planning and protection of the ecological environment.