Along with the development in the West and Central China as well as the implementation of the electric power diversion from west to east in China, there are more water demands on accelerating economic and social development of the Yellow River Basin. Meanwhile, the contradiction between water demand and supply in the Yellow River Basin plays a main challenge to water resources management of Yellow River. Likewise, the latest data of the comprehensive water resources planning of the Yellow River Basin shows that the Yellow River average annual natural runoff reduced from 58 billion cubic meters to 53.5 billion cubic meters, but water demand would be increasing. In each normal runoff year, without considering the inter-basin water transfer case, the gap between supply and demand will reach 7.5 billion cubic meters by 2020 and even more to 10.4 billion cubic meters by 2030. This will pose another serious challenge to the Yellow River water resources management.
In order to improve the Yellow River water resources management, GWP China Yellow River, jointly with Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research and Yellow River Research Society, invited stakeholders from governmental organizations and NGOs as well as related experts and practitioners to discuss how to make better practice of integrated river basin management of the Yellow River under the new policies on November 20 and 21, 2013 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. The workshop was resulted with some recommendations for exploration and practice of water resources management in the Yellow River Basin under the strictest water resources management system.
The participants suggested to establish as soon as possible the strictest water resources management system for the Yellow River Basin ; to further integrate the management of river basins and the administration of regions; to combine the strictest management system with the progress of ecological civilization, urbanization and market economy; to increase publicity, social participation and mobilize the whole society to support the implementation of the strictest water resources management system of the Yellow River.