Study On Dynamic Characteristics And Driving Factors Of Water Footprint Of Shule River Basin

Along with population growth, urbanization progress and economic and social development as well as the influence of global climate change and other factors, ecological water in Shule River region has constantly been diverted, causing the fall of the underground water level, the degradation of natural vegetation due to lack of water and the acute imbalance between water resource demand and supply. In order to effectively improve the water resource utilization efficiency, this article makes use of the water footprint model to study the dynamic water footprint characteristics of Shule River Basin during 2001- 2010 and comes to the following conclusions:(1) During 2001-2010, the total water footprints of Shule River Basin showed an increasing trend on the whole. The total water footprint change of the basin is highly influenced by interior water footprints, especially having rather close relations with virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products, eco-environment water consumption and total water supply.The total water footprints of Shule River Basis in 2010 were 22.574×108m3, 2.48 times more than those in 2001, 9.086×108m3. During the study period, internal water footprints accounted to 98.15% of the total water footprints(ten-year average), and the total water footprints showed a highly significant positive correlation with virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products, eco-environment water consumption and total water supply.(2) The urban population shows extremely significant postive relation with the water footprints of the urban population, while the rural population has a significant postive relation with water footprints of the rural population.The urban population has an extremely significant postive correlation with the water footprints of the urban population(R2=0.737**) and a linear equation is obtained, i.e. y=0.641x-0.485. The rural population is positively correlated with water footprints of the rural population up to a significant level(R2=0.526*) and a linear equation is obtained, i.e. y = 0.037 x + 0.010.(3) During the study period, internal water footprints in the basin showed a rising trend on the whole and were most influenced by virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products.The interior water footprints of Shule River Basin increased from 8.87×108m3 in 2001 to 22.57×108m3 in 2010 by 154.45%. In this study period, virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products occupied 81.06% of the internal water footprints of Shule River Basin(ten-year average).(4) Virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products were overall on the rise and have many influencing factors.Virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products in Shule River Basin were raised by 164.64% to 20.687×108m3 in 2010 as compared to 7.817×108m3 in 2001. Virtual water footprints of agricultural and animal products show an extremely significant positive correlation with grains, beets and meat and a significant positive correlation with irrigation area and water capacity of the farmland.(5) During the monitoring period, different types of virtual water presented different dynamic change characteristics over time.During 2001-2010, water footprints of industrial products showed a downward trend on the whole, reached the highest in 2001, then fell significantly to the lowest in 2007 and rose slightly in 2010.(6) The water supply volume of Shule River Basin is within the bearing capacity of water resources, but the pressure indicator of water resources will show an increasing trend.During 2001-2010, water resource pressure indicators of Shule River Basin were less than 1, but they were on the yearly rise. Compared with 2001, water resource pressure indicators were increased by 67.08% in 2010.