Assessing water scarcity in agricultural production system based on the generalized water resources and water footprint framework

Cao Xinchun; Wu Mengyang; Guo Xiangping; Zheng Yalian; Gong Yan; Wu Nan; Wang Weiguang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.191

Assessing water scarcity in agricultural production system based on the generalized water resources and water footprint framework

Sci Total Environ. 2017 Dec 31:609:587-597. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.191. Epub 2017 Jul 27.

Authors

Cao Xinchun¹, Wu Mengyang², Guo Xiangping³, Zheng Yalian², Gong Yan², Wu Nan², Wang Weiguang⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Hydrology Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, PR China; College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China; Key Laboratory of Efficient Irrigation-Drainage and Agricultural Soil-Water Environment in Southern China of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, PR China. Electronic address: caoxinchun@hhu.edu.cn.
² College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China.
³ College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China; Key Laboratory of Efficient Irrigation-Drainage and Agricultural Soil-Water Environment in Southern China of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, PR China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Hydrology Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, PR China; College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China. Electronic address: wangweiguang@hhu.edu.cn.

PMID: 28763656
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.191

Abstract

An indicator, agricultural water stress index (AWSI), was established based blue-green water resources and water footprint framework for regional water scarcity in agricultural production industry evaluation. AWSI is defined as the ratio of the total agricultural water footprint (AWF) to water resources availability (AWR) in a single year. Then, the temporal and spatial patterns of AWSI in China during 1999-2014 were analyzed based on the provincial AWR and AWF quantification. The results show that the annual AWR in China has been maintained at approximately 2540Gm³, of which blue water accounted for >70%. The national annual AWF was approximately 1040Gm³ during the study period and comprised 65.6% green, 12.7% blue and 21.7% grey WFs The space difference in both the AWF for per unit arable land (AWFI) and its composition was significant. National AWSI was calculated as 0.413 and showed an increasing trend in the observed period. This index increased from 0.320 (mid-water stress level) in 2000 to 0.490 (high water stress level) in the present due to the expansion of the agricultural production scale. The Northern provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities (PAMs) have been facing high water stress, particularly the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, which was at a very high water stress level (AWSI>0.800). Humid South China faces increasingly severe water scarcity, and most of the PAMs in the region have converted from low water stress level (AWSI=0.100-0.200) to mid water stress level (AWSI=0.200-0.400). The AWSI is more appropriate for reflecting the regional water scarcity than the existing water stress index (WSI) or the blue water scarcity (BWS) indicator, particularly for the arid agricultural production regions due to the revealed environmental impacts of agricultural production. China should guarantee the sustainable use of agricultural water resources by reducing its crop water footprint.

Keywords: Blue-green water; China; Crop production; Grey water footprint; Water stress index.