Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Comparative Study of the Performance of Public Water Rights Allocation in China

  • Published:
Water Resources Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pubic water rights allocation, in which water resources are allocated to users administratively as shared public property, is an effective and powerful policy for water resource management. Dozens of public water right allocation systems have been established in China since 1998 without any unified standard across the country. An indicator-based assessment approach, based on equity, efficiency and sustainability, is proposed in this study to evaluate the performance of public water rights allocation systems in China in a quantitative way. The approach was applied in 11 river basins of China in which water rights have been defined. The results show that the performance of the allocation systems depends on the spatial density and exploitation ratio of the water resources. The performance of allocated water rights systems is better in river basins with greater resource densities and smaller water exploitation ratios. This assessment approach is very useful for evaluating policy options for public water rights allocation with appropriate consideration of the local conditions of the river basins.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aerts J (2005) Adaptation for river basins: connecting policy goals to the water resources system. Water Sci Technol 51(5):121–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson AB (1970) On the measurement of inequality. J Econ Theor 2:244–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Australian Productivity Commission (2003) Water rights arrangement in Australia and overseas. Commission research paper.

  • Babel MS, Das Gupta A, Nayak DK (2005) A model for optimal allocation of water to competing demands. Water Resour Manag 19(6):693–712. doi:10.1007/s11269-005-3282-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bengraine K, Marhaba TF (2003) Using principal component analysis to monitor spatial and temporal changes in water quality. J Hazard Mater 100(1–3):179–195. doi:10.1016/s0304-3894(03)00104-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer R, van Ek R (2004) Integrated ecological, economic and social impact assessment of alternative flood control policies in the Netherlands. Ecol Econ 50(1–2):1–21. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.01.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butler LL (1985) Allocating consumptive water rights in a riparian jurisdiction: defining the relationship between public and private Interests. vol Paper 138. College of William & Mary Law School, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States

  • Cai X, McKinney DC, Lasdon LS (2002) A framework for sustainability analysis in water resources management and application to the Syr Darya Basin. Water Resour Res 38(6):1085. doi:10.1029/2001wr000214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dinar A, Subramanian A (1997) Water pricing experiences: an international perspective, vol 386. World Bank, Washington, D.C

    Google Scholar 

  • Dong Y, Tao J, Ji Q (2005) Welfare-economic model of the network resource allocation. Journal of Southeast University (Natural Science Edition)[in Chinese] 35(3)

  • Elton M (1946) The human problems of an industrial civilization. Macmillan, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao E (2006) Water rights system development in China [in Chinese]. China Water and Hydropower Publishing, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Garduno-Velasco H (2001) Water rights administration - experience, issues and guidelines. Available from: www.fao.org

  • Graymore MLM, Wallis AM, Richards AJ (2009) An Index of Regional Sustainability: a GIS-based multiple criteria analysis decision support system for progressing sustainability. Ecol Complex 6(4):453–462. doi:10.1016/j.ecocom.2009.08.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta J, van der Zaag P (2008) Interbasin water transfers and integrated water resources management: where engineering, science and politics interlock. Phys Chem Earth 33(1–2):28–40. doi:10.1016/j.pce.2007.04.003

    Google Scholar 

  • Heaney A, Dwyer G, Beare S, Peterson D, Pechey L (2005) Third-party effects of water trading and potential policy responses. Providence, Rhode Island, USA, 2005

  • Heltberg R (2002) Property rights and natural resource management in developing countries. J Econ Surv 16(2):189–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelman J, Kelman R (2002) Water allocation for economic production in a semi-arid region. Int J Water Resour Dev 18(3):391–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Hipel KW, De M, Cai J (2008) Transboundary water policies: assessment, comparison and enhancement. Water Resour Manag 22(8):1069–1087. doi:10.1007/s11269-007-9211-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahjouri N, Ardestani M (2010) A game theoretic approach for interbasin water resources allocation considering the water quality issues. Environ Monit Assess 167(1–4):527–544

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandal UK, Warrington DN, Bhardwaj AK, Bar-Tal A, Kautsky L, Minz D, Levy GJ (2008) Evaluating impact of irrigation water quality on a calcareous clay soil using principal component analysis. Geoderma 144(1–2):189–197. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.11.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin L-R (2008) Willingness to pay for forest property rights and the value of increased property rights security. Environ Resour Econ 41(4):465–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGregor D (1960) The human side of enterprise. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Molle F (2004) Defining water rights: by prescription or negotiation? Water Pol 6:207–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Nazer DW, Siebel MA, Van der Zaag P, Mimi Z, Gijzen HJ (2010) A financial, environmental and social evaluation of domestic water management options in the West Bank, Palestine. Water Resour Manag 24(15):4445–4467. doi:10.1007/s11269.010.9667.z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ostrom E (2000) Private and Common Property Rights. In: BBaGDG (ed) Encyclopedia of Law and Economics, Vol. II: Civil Law and Economics,. Edward Elgar, Celtenham, United Kingdom, pp 332–379

  • Ouyang Y (2005) Evaluation of river water quality monitoring stations by principal component analysis. Water Res 39(12):2621–2635. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2005.04.024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parinet B, Lhote A, Legube B (2004) Principal component analysis: an appropriate tool for water quality evaluation and management-application to a tropical lake system. Ecol Model 178(3–4):295–311. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2004.03.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Primdahl J, Vesterager JP, Finn JA, Vlahos G, Kristensen L, Vejre H (2010) Current use of impact models for agri-environment schemes and potential for improvements of policy design and assessment. J Environ Manag 91(6):1245–1254. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.12.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Primpas I, Tsirtsis G, Karydis M, Kokkoris GD (2010) Principal component analysis: development of a multivariate index for assessing eutrophication according to the European water framework directive. Ecol Indic 10(2):178–183. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.04.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qureshi ME, Shi T, Qureshi SE, Proctor W (2009) Removing barriers to facilitate efficient water markets in the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia. Agr Water Manag 96(11):1641–1651. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2009.06.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qureshi ME, Schwabe K, Connor J, Kirby M (2010) Environmental water incentive policy and return flows. Water Resour Res 46. doi:10.1029/2008WR007445

  • Randall A (1978) Property institutions and economic behavior. J Econ Issues 12(1):1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard T (2002) Estimates of the damage costs of climate change. Part 1: Benchmark Estimates. Environ Resource Econ 21(1):47–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson PB (2002) “All for some”: water inequity in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Phys Chem Earth, Parts A/B/C 27(11–22):851–857. doi:10.1016/s1474-7065(02)00080-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roger P, Yue M, James MM (2003) Natural resources and environmental economics, 3rd edn. Pearson Addison Wesley, United States

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosegrant MW (1993) Markets in tradable water rights could improve irrigation production in developing countries. IFPRI Report 15(2):14–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott A (1989) Conceptual Origins of Rights Based Fishing. In: P.A. Neher RAaNME (ed) Rights Based Fishing. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 11–38

  • Seyam I, Savenije HHG, Aerts J, Schepel M (2000) Algorithms for water resources distribution in international river basins. Phys Chem Earth, Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere 25(3):309–314. doi:10.1016/s1464-1909(00)00020-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen D, Speed R (2009) Water resources allocation in the People’s Republic of China. Int J Water Resour Dev 25(2):209–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith A (1904) An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations, 5th edn. Methuen & Co., Ltd., London

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith LED (2004) Assessment of the contribution of irrigation to poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods. Int J Water Resour Dev 20(2):243–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Speed R (2009) A comparison of water rights systems in China and Australia. Int J Water Resour Dev 25(2)

  • Sterner T (2003) Policy instruments for environmental and natural resource management. Resources for the Future, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan CA, Meigh J (2007) Integration of the biophysical and social sciences using an indicator approach: addressing water problems at different scales. Water Resour Manag 21(1):111–128. doi:10.1007/s11269-006-9044-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Syme GJ, Porter NB, Goeft U, Kington EA (2008) Integrating social well being into assessments of water policy: meeting the challenge for decision makers. Water Pol 10(4):323–343. doi:10.2166/wp.2008.152

    Google Scholar 

  • Teerink JR (1993) Water allocation, rights, and pricing : examples from Japan and the United States / John R. Teerink and Masahiro Nakashima. World Bank technical paper ; no. 198, vol Accessed from http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1217013. World Bank, Washington, D.C.

  • Thoms MC, Sheldon F (2002) An ecosystem approach for determining environmental water allocations in Australian dryland river systems: the role of geomorphology. Geomorphology 47:16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations (2002) Global Challenges Global Opportunity: Trends in Sustainable Development. Available from http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/documents/summit_docs/criticaltrends_1408.pdf. Accessed August 21, 2004

  • Van der Zaag P, Seyam IM, Savenije HHG (2002) Towards measurable criteria for the equitable sharing of international water resources. Water Pol 4(1):19–32. doi:10.1016/s1366-7017(02)00003-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagstaff A, van Doorslaer E, Paci P (1991) On the measurement of horizontal inequity in the delivery of health care. J Heal Econ 10(2):169–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker J, Dowling T, Veitch S (2006) An assessment of catchment condition in Australia. Ecol Indic 6(1):205–214. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2005.08.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walmsley J, Carden M, Revenga C, Sagona F, Smith M (2001) Indicators of sustainable development for catchment management in South Africa - review of indicators from around the world. Water Sa 27(4):539–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Fang L, Hipel KW (2003) Water resources allocation: a cooperative game theoretic approach. J Environ Informat 2(2):11–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Fang L, Hipel KW (2007) Mathematical programming approaches for modeling water rights allocation. J Water Resour Plann Manag 133(1):50–59. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9496(2007)133:1(50)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Hang Z, Xuefeng W (2009) A harmonious water rights allocation model for Shiyang River Basin, Gansu Province, China. Int J Water Resour Dev 25(2):355–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward FA (2007) Decision support for water policy: a review of economic concepts and tools. Water Pol 9(1):1–31. doi:10.2166/wp.2006.053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei YP, Davidson B, Chen DL, White R (2009) Balancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of agro-ecosystems: an integrated modeling approach. Agric Ecosyst Environ 131(3–4):263–273. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2009.01.021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wouters P, Hu D, Zhang J, Andrews-Speed P (2004) The new development of water law in China. Univ Denver Water Law Rev 7(2):243–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Wurbs RA (1997) Water availability under the Texas water rights system. J Am Water Works Assoc 89(5):55–63

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51009076), International Science and Technology Cooperation Program of China (2010DFA21750), Australia China Environment Development Program- Shiyang/Shule River Project, the 2011 Chinese Ministry of Water Resource Program - Shiyang River Project (201101046), and the Australian Research Council (ARC) (Project No: ARCLP100100546).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Hydro-Science and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 10084, China

    Hang Zheng, Zhongjing Wang & Siyi Hu

  2. Australia-China water resource research center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Yongping Wei

Authors
  1. Hang Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhongjing Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Siyi Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yongping Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hang Zheng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zheng, H., Wang, Z., Hu, S. et al. A Comparative Study of the Performance of Public Water Rights Allocation in China. Water Resour Manage 26, 1107–1123 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9949-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9949-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation