HOMS COMPONENT

 ASSESSMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

1.   Purpose and objectives

     To provide an approach to the assessment of the water resources in a  region or state. The results of the assessment will provide the scientific  basis for decisions on economic development, agricultural zoning, water  conservancy planning, and rational development and utilization of water  resources.

2.   Description

     This component briefly describes the organization needed for an  assessment and the methods to be used.

     Water resources assessment in China was mainly carried out at the  provincial level (including provinces, municipalities and autonomous  regions) according to the unified disposition, requirements and technical  standards. Then, on the basis of water resources regionalization, namely,  by dividing the whole country into 10 large basins, the basin authorities  or concerned departments compiled the assessment results of the provinces  at basin level, determining the corresponding results for each basin.  Finally, compilation of the assessment results of basins and preparation of  the final report on national water resources assessment was organized by  the Bureau of Hydrology, Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power.

     The assessment consists of four parts: surface water, groundwater,  pollution of water sources, and analysis of balance between water supply  and demand. A vast amount of data on hydrological elements, on water use  investigation and on dynamic observation of groundwater at more than 2000  hydrological stations and 9000 precipitation stations has been used in the  assessment.

 The main contents of this component are as follows:

(1) Organization, leadership and division of labour;
(2) Technical standards;
(3) Water resources to be assessed;
(4) Water resources regionalization;
(5) Period selection and data representativeness;
(6) Data collection and processing (including data on hydrometeorological elements, on river basin        characteristics, on water use for industry and agriculture, on water pollution monitoring and            investigations, etc.);
(7) Estimation of surface water resources;
(8) Estimation of groundwater resources;
(9) Determination of the total water resources;
(10) Water quality (including sediment of rivers, hydrochemistry and pollution of surface water bodies);
(11) Analysis of balance between water supply and demand.

3.   Input

     Historical data observed and investigated on hydrometeorological  elements.

4.   Output

     Tabulations of estimated results and distribution maps of surface  water and groundwater resources in provinces, basins and the whole country. Individual parameters and synthetic assessments of water quality, with  distribution maps, etc.

5.   Operational requirements and restrictions

     These technical methods may be used by hydrologists with knowledge of  basic theory and practical experience to a certain degree in hydrology and  hydrogeology.

6.   Form of presentation

     Technical documentation in English.

7.   Operational experience

     These methods have been widely used in water resources assessment in  China since 1980, and the methods of computation and the quality of the  assessment have been continually improved. A report on assessing national  water resources using these methods has been published in Chinese.

8.   Originator and technical support

     Department of Hydrology, Ministry of Water Resources, P.R.C.

9.   Availability

     From the HOMS National Reference Centre for China.

10.  Conditions on use

     Cost of reproduction and mailing.

Last updated: 1 MAY 90)
 top