Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-65tv2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-07T07:44:36.120Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

13 - Inter-basin water transfer in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2009

Fereidoun Ghassemi  and
Ian White
Fereidoun Ghassemi
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Ian White
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Get access

Summary

OVERVIEW OF GEOGRAPHY, POPULATION, LAND AND WATER

GEOGRAPHY

The People's Republic of China (PRC) was established in 1949. Its mainland covers an area of 9 560 980 km2 and has a varied topography with highlands in the west and plains in the east. This physical feature of gradual descent from the west to the east causes all the major rivers to run eastwards. China has the following physiographic features (China Handbook Editorial Committee, 2002):

  • Mountain ranges run in different directions across the length and breadth of the country (Figure 13.1). These are: (1) the west–east ranges consisting of the Tianshan, Yanshan, Kunlun, Qinling and Nanling Mountains; (2) the north-east to south-west ranges consisting of the Greater Hinggan, Taihang, Changbai, Wuyi and Taiwan Mountains; (3) the north-west to south-east ranges consisting of the Qilian and Altai Mountains; and (4) the north–south ranges consisting of the Helan, Liupan and Hengduan Mountains. The Himalayas lie on the south-western border of China and run in a west–east direction. Of the world's 14 mountain peaks exceeding 8000 m, nine are in China or on its borders.

  • […]

Information

Type
Chapter
Information
Inter-Basin Water Transfer
Case Studies from Australia, United States, Canada, China and India
 , pp. 295 - 318
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Asian Development Bank (2000). Reform of Environmental and Land Legislation in the People's Republic of China. Manila: Asian Development Bank.
Barber, M. and Ryder, G. eds. (1993). Damming the Three Gorges: What Dam Builders Don't Want you to Know. Second Edition. London: Earthscane Publications.Google Scholar
Berkoff, J. (2003). China: The South–North Water Transfer Project – is it justified?Water Policy 5: 1–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Biswas, A. K., Zuo, D., Nickum, J. E. and Liu, C. (1983). Long-Distance Water Transfer: A Chinese Case Study and International Experiences. Dublin: Tycooly International Publishing Limited.Google Scholar
Chen, J., Tang, C., Shen, Y., Sakura, Y. and Fukushima, Y. (2004). Nitrate pollution of groundwater in a wastewater irrigated field in Hebei Province, China. In Steenvoorden, J. and Endreny, T. eds. Wastewater Re-use and Groundwater Quality. Publication No. 285. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 23–27.Google Scholar
Cheng, X. (2005). Changes of flood control situations and adjustment of flood management strategies in China. Water International 30(1): 108–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
China Handbook Editorial Committee (2002). Geography of China. Honolulu, Hawaii: University Press of the Pacific.
China Internet Information Centre (2002). Water Conservancy: South-to-North Water Transfer Project.
Economy, E. C. (2004). The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to China's Future. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Edmonds, R. L. ed. (2000). Managing the Chinese Environment. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Elvin, M. (2004). The Retreat of the Elephants: An Environmental History of China. New Haven: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2003). Production Yearbook 2002. Volume 56. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Framji, K. K., Garg, B. C. and Luthra, S. D. L. (1981). Irrigation and Drainage in the World: A Global Review. Third Edition. New Delhi: International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage. Volume 1.Google Scholar
Fu, G. and Chen, S. (2005). Geostatistical analysis of observed streamflow and its response to precipitation and temperature changes in the Yellow River. In Franks, S.et al. eds. Regional Hydrological Impacts of Climatic Chang: Hydroclimatic Variability. Publication No. 295. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 238–245.Google Scholar
Fuggle, R. and Smith, W. T. (2000). Experience with Dams in Water and Energy Resource Development in the People's Republic of China. Cape Town: World Commission on Dams.Google Scholar
Gao, G. and Huang, C. (2001). Climate change and its impact on water resources in North China. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences 18(5): 718–732.Google Scholar
Ghassemi, F., Jakeman, A. J. and Nix, H. A. (1995). Salinisation of Land and Water Resources: Human Causes, Extent, Management and Case Studies. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.Google Scholar
GHD (2005). National Flood Management Strategy Study: Inception Report. Melbourne: GHD Pty Ltd.
Han, Z. (1997). Groundwater for urban water supply in northern China. In Chilton, J.et al. eds. Groundwater in the Urban Environment. Volume 1: Problems, Processes and Management. Rotterdam: A. A. Balkema, pp. 331–334.Google Scholar
Heggelund, G. (2004). Environment and Resettlement Politics in China: The Three Gorges Project. Hants, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited.Google Scholar
Institute of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology (1988). Hydrogeological Map of China (1:4,000,000). Beijing: China Cartographic Publishing House.
James, C. V. ed. (1989). Information China: The Comprehensive and Authoritarian Reference Source of New China, Volume 1. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
JBICI (2004). Issues and Challenges for Water Resources in North China: Case of the Yellow River Basin. Research Paper No. 28. Tokyo: Japan Bank for International Cooperation Institute.
Jiang, T. Chen, J., Ke, C., Gemmer, M., Metzler, M. and King, L. (2002a). Visualisation of historical flood and drought information (1100–1940) for the middle reaches of the Yangtze Rive valley. In Wu, B.et al. ed. Flood Defence, 2002. New York: Science Press. pp. 802–808.Google Scholar
Jiang, T., Wollesen, D., King, L., Wang, R. and Chen, J. (2002b). Chinese historical flood/drought data as an indicator to reconstruct for El Niño and La Niña Events (1470–1990). In Wu, B.et al. ed. Flood Defence, 2002. New York: Science Press, pp. 809–814.Google Scholar
Kaosa-ard, M. (2003). Poverty and globalisation. In Kaosa-ard, M. and Done, J. eds. Social Challenges for the Mekong Region. Bangkok: White Lotus, pp. 81–108.Google Scholar
Liu, C. (2000). Environmental issues and the South–North Water Transfer Scheme. In Edmonds, R. L. ed. Managing the Chinese Environment. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 175–186.Google Scholar
Liu, C. and Zheng, H. (2002). South-to-north water transfer schemes for China. Water Resources Development 18(3): 453–471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ma, J. (2004). China's Water Crisis. Norwalk, CT, USA: EastBridge.Google Scholar
Ministry of Water Resources (2002). Water Resources Bulletin. Beijing: Ministry of Water Resources.
Ministry of Water Resources (2003a). 2003 Annual Report: Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China. Beijing: Ministry of Water Resources.
Ministry of Water Resources (2003b). China Country Report on Sustainable Development: Water Resources. Beijing: Ministry of Water Resources.
Ministry of Water Resources (2004a). Water Resources in China. Beijing: Ministry of Water Resources.
Ministry of Water Resources (2004b). South-to-North Water Transfer Project. Beijing: Ministry of Water Resources.
Osborne, M. (2004).River at Risk: The Mekong and the Water Politics on China and Southeast Asia. Sydney: Lowy Institute for International Policy.Google Scholar
Qian, Z. ed. (1994). Water Resources Development in China. Beijing: China Water & Power Press.Google Scholar
Research Institute of Meteorological Sciences (1982). Atlas of Drought and Flood in China in the Past 500 years. Beijing: Atlas Press.
Shao, X., Wang, H. and Wang, Z. (2003). Interbasin transfer projects and their implications: a China case study. International Journal of River Basin Management 1(1): 5–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smil, V. (2004). China's Past, China's Future: Energy, Food, Environment. New York: RoutledgeCurzon.Google Scholar
Tang, C., Chen, J. and Shen, Y. (2004). Long-term effect of wastewater irrigation on nitrate in groundwater in the North China Plain. In Steenvoorden, J. and Endreny, T. eds. Wastewater Re-use and Groundwater Quality. Publication No. 285. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 34–40.Google Scholar
Tao, F., Yokozawa, M., Hayashi, Y. and Lin, E. (2003). Future climate change, the agricultural water cycle, and agricultural production in China. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 95: 203–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
US Embassy (2003). Update on China's South–North Water Transfer Project. Beijing: US Embassy.
Wang, L. and Ma, C. (1999). A study on the environmental geology of the Middle Route Project of the South–North water transfer. Engineering Geology 51: 153–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, M. and Xia, J. (2005). Impact of climate fluctuation and land-cover changes on runoff in the Yellow River basin. In Wagener, T.et al. eds. Regional Hydrological Impacts of Climatic Change: Impact Assessment and Decision Making. Publication No. 295. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 183–188.Google Scholar
World Bank (1997). Clear Water, Blue Skies: China's Environment in the New Century. Washington D.C.: World Bank.
World Bank (2001). China: Agenda for Water Sector Strategy for North China. Report No. 22040-CHA (4 volumes). Volume 1: Summary Report. Washington D.C.: World Bank.
World Bank (2003). World Development Indicators. Washington D.C.: World Bank. CD-ROM.
World Resources Institute (2000). World Resources 2000–2001: People and Ecosystems, The Fraying Web of Life. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science.
World Wildlife Fund (2001). The Proposed South–North Water Transfer Scheme in China; Need, Justification and Cost. Draft Report. Beijing: World Wildlife Fund.
Xia, J., Wong, H. and Ip, W. C. (2003). Water problems and sustainability in North China. In Franks, S.et al. eds. Water Resources Systems: Water Availability and Global Change. Publication No. 280. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 12–22.Google Scholar
Xia, J. and Zhang, L. (2005). Climate change and water resources security in North China. In Wagener, T.et al. eds. Regional Hydrological Impacts of Climatic Change: Impact Assessment and Decision Making. Publication No. 295. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 167–173.Google Scholar
Xie, Q., Guo, X. and Ludwig, H. F. (1999). The Wanjiazhai Water Transfer Project, China: an environmentally integrated water transfer system. The Environmentalist 19: 39–60.Google Scholar
Yang, S. L., Ding, P. X. and Chen, S. L. (2001). Changes in progradation rate of the tidal flats at the mouth of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, China. Geomorphology 38: 167–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, D., Li, C., Musiake, K. and Kusuda, T. (2003). Analysis of water resources in the Yellow River basin in the last century. In Franks, S.et al. eds. Water Resources Systems: Water Availability and Global Change. Publication No. 280. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 70–78.Google Scholar
Yang, D., Ni, G., Kanae, S., Li, C. and Kusuda, T. (2005). Water Resources variability from the past to future in the Yellow River, China. In Wagener, T.et al. eds. Regional Hydrological Impacts of Climatic Change: Impact Assessment and Decision Making. Publication No. 295. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 174–182.Google Scholar
Ye, B., Li, C., Yang, D., Ding, Y. and Shen, Y. (2005). Precipitation trends and their impact of the discharge of China's four largest rivers, 1951–1998. In Franks, S.et al. eds. Regional Hydrological Impacts of Climatic Change: Hydroclimatic Variability. Publication No. 296. Wallingford: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, pp. 228–237.Google Scholar
Ying, A. (2000). Impact of global climate change on China's water resources. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 61(1): 187–191.Google Scholar
Zhang, J. and Lin, Z. (1992). Climate of China. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Zhu, Z., Giordano, M., Cai, X. and Molden, D. (2004). The Yellow River Basin: water accounting, water accounts, and current issues. Water International 29(1): 2–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×