A Brief Discussion on Water Resources Development under the Historical Dimension in Hexi Corridor, China
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Abstract:
Historical study is integral in the social and ecological civilization development, especially in the river basin governance. This paper demonstrates a perspective that studying the river basin governance under the historical view is necessary in the water resource researches in the Hexi Corridor in northwestern China. It is supportive for deeply understanding the evolution of water resources and environment in north western China, and is helpful to get insights on the contemporary water governance issues thus to improve the governance solutions by involving the traditional water management intelligence in modern system. Several case studies are provided to illustrate the perspective, including reviews on the historical evolution processes of water resource development, socio-economic development and river basin governance in the major river basins in Hexi Corridor since 18 century, emphasized on the evolution of duration-based water rights which was the dominant water allocation regime in Hexi Corridor and still used in Taolai River Basin, and analyses on the challenges to the duration-based water rights under the changing environment and its requirement to integrate the traditional water rights with contemporary governance system.