Barriers to water markets in the Heihe River basin in northwest China

Tradable water rights systems are becoming an important way to achieve distributive efficiency for water resources. However, it is not easy for countries or regions to establish water markets due to the existence of various barriers. In early 2002, the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) of China initiated an experimental project—Building Water-saving Society in Zhangye City. This project was the first of its kind in China. The aim of the project was to establish a new water use rights (WUR) system with tradable water quotas and to reallocate water resources reasonably and efficiently through market-based instruments. This paper presents the research done on the system and water markets. It has been found that that the system is hard to implement well and that WUR trading is not popular. The barriers to implementing a WUR system are social and administrative in nature. WUR trading faces management, legal, administrative, and fiscal barriers. We discuss why these barriers exist and we provide policy recommendations to overcome them.     

明确初始水权数量与质量的分配系

为解决水资源管理和水市场建设中涉及的水权问题，本文以内陆黑河干流为背景建立了干旱区水权分配系统。按照不同地区使用的水资源除了具有相对公平的数量，还应该具有相对公平的质量的原则，系统将以往模糊的流域水权界定对象清晰化，明确其为河流在某种社会经济条件下，为满足生态和水环境的要求，流域所能调配的水资源。为此，系统考虑与地区取水相关的经济和环境因素，运用基于水资源模型和区域水质模型的多目标规划方法计算流域各地区理论取水量，并将理论取水量结果用于改进目前的水权分配计算方法，不仅给出了流域各地区的水权分配比例，同时将各地区按水权分配到的水资源数量和质量也一并给出。实际应用证明了系统的有效性，给出的水权分配结果较以往类似成果加深了各地区对自身拥有的水资源状况、以及将面临的流域整体水资源形势的认识。     

An econometric irrigated crop allocation model for analyzing the impact of water restriction policies

The objective of the Spanish government-funded GESMO project is to research on new water policy evaluation and monitoring tools, applied to aquifer 8/23 in the Eastern Mancha, which covers one of the most important areas under the charge of the Júcar Catchment Confederation. The project is to output two types of end products: Decision Support Systems for defining water use policies, including economic impact and environmental simulators within a single multi-criteria decision-making environment and Measure Monitoring and Control Systems employing tele-detection and simulation of crop water needs. The Decision Support Systems will include three, highly complex, theoretical models in a single information technology product: a three-dimensional aquifer 8/23 behavior simulation model, an econometric model to predict crop allocation depending on the economic environment, water availabilities, etc., and an automatic alternative generation and evaluation system based on a multi-criteria methodology. The objective of the system is to advise on possible water policies and how they would materialize into spatially and temporally distributed water quotas (m³/ha) with the objective of both safeguarding the aquifer in the medium and long term and increasing the economic profitability of regional agriculture. In this paper, a regional econometric model is presented for studying the impact of water use quotas on the main irrigated crops allocation in the region.     

基于DSR框架下中国水权制度及政策指向分析

国外水资源治理经验表明,在市场经济基础之上建立以法律制度为保障的水权制度,对水资源的高效配置和可持续利用有着十分积极的作用.由于我国水权制度正处构建与完善时期,因此厘清各部门政策的基本特征,为保障水资源产权权益和促进政策体系完善具有重要的现实意义.研究基于可持续发展体系建立驱动力-状态-响应(DSR)分析框架,梳理自2...     

两种灌溉取水监督管理制度的分析

违规取用地表水灌溉水权，在水资源有限的情况下，从一定程度上损害了公共利益，并对他人不能进行补偿，因而是一种外部不经济的行为。我国对取水权的监督管理权掌握在政府手中，由流域机构具体管理。而国外某些地区对灌溉取水的监督权是分散在各个与灌溉系统相关的人员或机构手中，与此相关的人员或机构既是监督者，同时又被别人监督。文中比较分析了这两种不同的取水监督管理制度的优缺点，并给出完善我国取水监督管理制度的建议。     

Establishing tradable water rights: implementation of the Mexican water law

Mexico passed a new water law in 1992 that shifted from state-managed water policy to a regulated market-oriented policy with tradable water rights. Water trading will initially be closely supervised by government agencies, but the law includes a number of provisions that will allow liberalization of water markets as water users become more involved in operation and management of water and gain experience in water trading. Incentives for the Mexican water policy reforms include the growing economic value of increasingly scarce water; the rising budgetary costs from highly subsidized capital development and operations and maintenance for irrigation and water supply systems; and general liberalization of the Mexican economy, which has raised the cost of maintaining relatively inflexible water allocation systems that cannot respond to changing incentives.     

Changing water allocations and land use and the design of small scale irrigations schemes

In an earlier article in this journal Robert Hecht argued that in the design of small scale irrigation systems a study of the existing land and water rights is essential. This paper suggest that a study of existing land and water rights alone does not suffice, but that the intended changes in water availability have to be taken into account as well. Using examples from a small-scale irrigation project in Balochistan (Pakistan), the paper discusses four categories of changes in water availability, i.e. new development: major increase in available water; marginal increase in available water and integration of independent systems. Each one of these categories has a different impact in terms of changes in land and water rights, changes in the water distribution system and selection of command area. To accomodate these changes close consultation with the water users is required during the development of the scheme, and designs will often evolve incrementally.     

宁夏水权转换价格变动原因分析研究

水资源匮乏一直是制约宁夏发展的“瓶颈”,为了探索解决黄河水资源供需矛盾的有效途径,宁夏在黄委会指导下开展水权转换相关工作。随着水权转换制度及体系日臻完善,水权转换价格也逐步回归合理。本文从工程成本、节水量计算方法、水权转换价格等方面,分析水权转换价格的影响因素及变动原因。     

基于Internet的水权拍卖交易系统设计

建立水市场，通过水权交易是实现水资源优化配置、提高用水效率的有效方式。网上水权交易系统不仅可以提供水权交易信息，也可以让交易双方借助互联网来竞价，实现实时交易，不受场地和时间的限制，大大减少了交易成本，对提高水资源的配置效率具有重要的意义。为此，探讨了网上水权交易系统的设计原理、功能要求、系统流程分析、体系框架结构，以期为实现网上水权交易奠定基础。     

Adoption of sustainable irrigation management practices by stone and pome fruit growers in the Goulburn/Murray Valleys, Australia

The management of water resources by orchards in the south-eastern region of Australia is an increasingly important policy issue, especially given the low water allocations and concerns about salinity in recent years. Optimal management for economic and environmental sustainability can be described as best management practice (BMP). A project was developed to run an extension program, which aimed to achieve behavioural change among orchardists through the adoption of irrigation BMPs and benchmarks. The effectiveness of the extension program was evaluated and the drivers for adoption assessed. In the first stage of the project both BMPs and benchmarks were determined for irrigation management. A survey of 200 growers showed no relationship between yield and irrigation system or irrigation volume suggesting that increased yields were not a key driver for adoption of sustainable irrigation practices. Stage two of the project involved undertaking an extension program aimed to facilitate the adoption of BMPs and benchmarks and incorporated a suite of activities to meet the learning needs of a diversity of participants (40 growers). The program was effective in establishing behavioural change for many of the growers involved; however, it was resource intensive requiring significant one-on-one input. Stage three aimed to analyse the key drivers for adoption of sustainable irrigation practices for the whole of the stone and pome fruit industry in south-eastern Australia using market research. The study determined that water use efficiency was not a key driver for adoption of sustainable irrigation practices (micro irrigation and soil moisture monitoring) and adoption was generally not limited by lack of knowledge. Groups of growers were identified where extension programs could be effective by focussing on specific information e.g. redevelopment of orchard. Other groups had no need and/or ability to change unless the external operating environment was to change e.g. regulation, access to pressurised water. The voluntary adoption of more sustainable irrigation practices will probably require extensive resources using one-on-one methodology. The extension program should not focus on the broader social objective of improved water use efficiency but promote other potential benefits (e.g. labour saving, redevelopment of production systems, management flexibility) with targeted messages for specific groups.     

水资源监测异常数据模态分解-支持向量机重构方法

完备真实的水资源监测数据是支撑数据分析与决策的基本前提。在梳理现阶段水资源监测异常数据的基础上,提出运用移动平均拟合初筛来直观辨识异常监测数据,进而选取集合模态分解对非可直观辨识异常监测数据进行挖掘的方法。将剔除异常监测值后的时序数据作为基于粒子群优化最小二乘支持向量机模型的模拟样本,并利用其恢复所剔除的异常监测数据。对水务公司日取水量监测数据的实证分析结果表明,通过移动平均拟合与模态分解可较大限度地保留含有异常数据的特征向量并实现数据的有效重构,相比传统的统计方法其具有更好的适用性;运用粒子群优化的最小二乘支持向量机可进一步提高对剔除异常值数据的拟合效果,且符合水资源监测数据的季节波动规律特征及对实际取用水状态的客观反映,据此可相对合理地达到恢复所剔除异常监测数据的目的。     

建平县节水实施方案及效益评价探析

为实现建平县水资源优化配置和高效利用,最大限度地发挥和挖掘地表水与地下水、常规水源与非常规水源之间相互补偿潜力,全面提升水资源承载能力,本文对节水方案及效益进行了评价,以保障全县城乡供水安全,为实行最严格的水资源管理制度提供可靠依据.     

贵阳市水资源承载力演变的集对分析与诊断识别

利用集对分析法诊断识别出2005-2017年贵阳市水资源承载力的演变特征和脆弱性指标。研究结果表明:水资源承载力评价等级均高于2.0,处于临界超载状态;实施节水型社会建设后水资源承载状态呈现向好态势;人均水资源量和供水量不足以及农业灌溉定额偏高是水资源承载力致弱的主要因子;夯实节水型社会建设、提升水资源利用效率和加强地下水战略储备资源的保护与利用是提升贵阳市水资源承载力的一个有效途径。     

Land and water rights and the design of small scale irrigation projects: The case of Baluchistan

In countries around the world where small-scale irrigation systems are being improved, the design and functioning of these upgraded systems will be greatly enhanced if pre-existing patterns of land and water rights and established procedures for system operation are taken into account. An appreciation of these rights and procedures can greatly influence the layout of the water distribution network, water management practices, anticipated cropping patterns, and the related incidence of project benefits. Failure to do so will almost certainly have an adverse effect upon the functioning of the irrigation system, and can often result in serious conflicts. This is illustrated by the case of small-scale irrigation development in Baluchistan Province, Pakistan, where limited analysis of property rights and management practices and lack of consultation with intended beneficiaries caused major delays during the initial stages of project implementation. However, by introducing a methodology for social action that included an assessment of property rights and extensive consultation with affected households during the design and construction phases, the physical features and operating procedures for the upgraded irrigation system were crafted in a manner which maximized economic returns within the range of options acceptable to the local community.     

“引细入汤”工程水权转让探析

“引细入汤”工程即将本溪市境内清澈的细河水引入兰河，再经过已建成的“引兰入汤”工程，将细河水引入汤河水库。该工程跨流域、跨地区调水，从总体上合理有效地解决鞍山市水源不足的问题。分析了“引细入汤”工程水权转让的必然性和可性行、初始水权的确定、水权转让及“引细入汤”工程的兴建等问题。     

Using economic incentives and regulations to reduce seawater intrusion in the Batinah coastal area of Oman

Excessive groundwater abstraction is a major problem in Oman, primarily in the Batinah coastal area where it results in seawater intrusion. The Government began to address the problem in the 1990s by encouraging the use of more efficient irrigation systems, replacing date palms with winter vegetable crops and using treated wastewater for municipal irrigation. However, 15 years later, seawater intrusion in the Batinah aquifers is still advancing at an alarming pace. This paper analyses the relative merits of strategies to control groundwater pumping based on water quotas, electricity quotas and electricity pricing. A cost benefit approach is used to evaluate the feasibility of three strategies over a period of 25 years and to compare them to the “business as usual” option. Results show that the net present loss to the community when no active policy is implemented amounts to (−$288) million. Imposing water quotas on tubewells would give a net present benefit of $153 million. However, such quotas would give the lowest present benefit and create inequity among farmers. Other possible approaches would be to control the pumping of groundwater from all wells - tubewells and dug wells - by enforcing energy quotas and by increasing the price of electricity used to pump water. The net present benefits would be greater and the costs to farmers would be more fairly spread. The results of cost-benefit analysis show that enforcing an electricity quota, coupled with removal of the subsidy on the electricity price, is the easiest and most equitable solution to implement.     

Harmonised monitoring of Lake Macro Prespa as a basis for Integrated Water Resources Management

In this paper, reliable data and information as an important basis for integrated water resources management (IWRM) is discussed. Such data are especially important in transboundary water bodies, as they can represent a common and transparent knowledge-base that all concerned parties can trust and utilise in the management process. The transboundary Lake Macro Prespa (West Balkan) is used as a case study. The lake is rich in biodiversity but threatened by increased eutrophication. The main focus of the monitoring (2007–2008) was therefore on nutrients and chlorophyll a, as well as oxygen levels, transparency and temperature. The results of the monitoring were used in consultations with water managers and other stakeholders, and the study demonstrated how such data could represent a common and neutral point of departure for discussions across borders on integrated lake management. However, the paper also shows that monitoring may result in inadequate or even erroneous information, thus pointing to the importance of understanding all phases of the practical implementation of harmonised monitoring. The main challenges of the harmonised monitoring included different laboratory methods and performances, as well as a number of practical issues related to logistics and communications across borders. A less ambitious programme during the first year of monitoring (2007) might have saved funds and resulted in more harmonised and reliable data this year. However, in 2008 the project succeeded in producing a set of harmonised data, amongst others by using one common and accredited laboratory for stations in both countries. This paper therefore also presents new monitoring data from this unique large lake, of which there are relatively few published studies. The results of the monitoring give reasons for concern. The eutrophication of the lake seems to be increasing, and this calls for improved integrated management in order to reduce nutrient levels and improve the environmental status.     

农业灌区改革中的水权管理探讨

针对目前多数灌区供水体制管理中存在的问题,围绕水权探讨改革措施。指出模糊水权是灌区用水的制约因素,概述灌区水权改革历程,分析水管理部门、灌区管理机构和用水户的关系,提出应保障灌区用水转让权、明晰水权与灌区资产权利关系,为灌区供水体制管理改革提供参考。     

支撑我国农业发展的水制度变迁

为应对当前和未来的我国农业危机和水危机，必须加强水行业的制度建设。实践证明，我国通过近年来的节水灌溉工程建设、小型农村水利工程产权制度改革、节水型社会试点、水资源管理体制改革以及用水者协会等组织机构建设，已经取得明显成效，为进一步实现农业产业化，提升我国农产品的国际竞争力奠定了基础。     

无线传输技术在农村饮水安远系统中的应用

陇通输水东干农村供水工程安全监测及远程控制系统是通过无线传输技术对系统输配水管道压力、流量情况进行监测,实现管道自动化管理。通过远程实时监控供水管线安全、事故预警、记录水管流量和监测工程运行,有助于减少管理人员数量,提高工程管理效率,降低工程管理成本,实现区域统筹。系统投入运行4年来已经取得了良好的经济效益和社会效益。