The Study On Legal Issues Of Water-saving In Shiyang River Basin

Shiyang River Basin, located in the east of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, runs west from Wushao Mountain to east Qilian Mountain, and is one of the three continental rivers in Hexi Corridor. The oasis there is crucial for the prevention of the combination of Badan Jilin Desert and Tenggeli Desert, and safeguarding the Hexi Corridor. With the annual rainfall less than 10% of its annual evaporation, it is a natural area lacking of water, and the Shiyang River Basin is the main water resources. To balance the demand and supply of water resources, to protect the ecosystem, and to attain sustainable economic development so as to build a harmonious society, it is strongly recommended that importance should be attached to tap new resources and to economize on consumption. Therefore, in the context of a water-saving society, water conservation is the most effective means to achieve this goal. This article discusses the significance of the legal system for saving water in the Shiyang River Basin and points out the long-standing mistaken ideas for saving water in the fields of legislation, legal system, law enforcement, and law observance. Then it comes to the legal countermeasures in the practical promotion of saving water in the Shiyang River Basin.The preface, after briefly introducing geographical conditions, the climate, the river system, the administrative conditions and the financial circumstances in the Shiyang River Basin, addresses the significance and goal for the study.The main body of this article consists of three parts.The first part analyzes the present water resources situation in Shiyang River Basin. Things attributing to this analysis are definition and attribute of a river basin, the concept and connotation for the water resources, the present water resources situation in China and all over the world, and the actual situation in the water supply, water demand and water saving in the Shiyang River Basin.The second part mainly addresses the legal problems concerning with saving water in the Shiyang River Basin. Problems pointed out in this part concerns with the legislation, the legal system, law enforcement, and law observance related to economization of water in the Shiyang River Basin.The third part offers three legal countermeasures to solve the aforesaid problems. The measures are: 1) Consummating the legislation. Improve the legal regime system in saving water of Shiyang River basin, and promotion of the public participation in the legislation process. 2) Perfecting the legal system. Great coordination and cooperation shall happen between the regional administrative management and the watershed management. Clear division shall be seen in the functions of the Watershed Management Committee and the Watershed Management Organization. Authority shall be strengthened for the Water-saving Department. 3) Enhancing law enforcement. Management shall resort to government, the coordinator. Water licensing system and surveillance shall be enhanced. Reasonable water-using ration in the trade shall be determined. Harmonious using of water shall be reached by the government regulation and the market operation. And 4) Promoting citizens' consciousness of abiding by the law. Propaganda shall be enlarged. Proudness in saving water shall be enhanced by moral education obtaining. Full display of the function of water price shall be made so as to better control water usage.