Introduction to the Water Resources Management of the State of Kansas of the USA and its Inspirations to Water Resources Management of the Yellow River of China

摘要

The Yellow River Basin of western China and the Kansas States of the United State share similar geo-hydrological conditions and economic characteristics and serious water allocation problems, such as large-scale irrigated agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions, large wheat and com production, the drying up of rivers, groundwater over-exploitation, water rights transfers from irrigation to industrial and municipal uses. After introduction to the water resources problems and innovative management and technical approaches of Kansas, the legislative and technical management approaches are recommended to improve Yellow River water resources management especially to ensure environmental flow. Firstly, to set total volume control and minimum environmental flow as the highest priority and adopt the strictest rules to implement it. Secondly, to explicitly identify the water use right of ecosystem and sediment transporting by issuing water permit to the corresponding institutions for ecosystem protection and sediment flushing water management. Thirdly, to adopt litigation measure and economic sanction to resolve trans-boundary water conflict besides administrative arbitrary and penalty, Fourthly, to promote integrated surface and groundwater management by improving the surface and ground water monitoring system and carry out experiments of groundwater recharge in big cites and unified groundwater and surface water regulation in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia Irrigation Area.