Legislation on protection of drinking water sources and local management practices in the Pearl River Delta region of China

The protection of drinking water sources is vital to urban development and public health.In this study,the current situation of the mandatory protection area for drinking water source in the Pearl River Delta region was investigated using a method combining Google Earth with the field survey.The gaps between management practices and legislation requirements were analyzed.Finally,several countermeasures for water resource protection were proposed as follows:to promote delineation in a more scientific way,to safeguard the sanctity of the law,to make better plan on water saving,and to encourage public participation in supervision and management.

Protection Planning for Rural Centralized Drinking Water Source Areas in Chongqing

Protection planning is made for rural centralized drinking water source areas according to current situations of rural drinking water and existing problems of centralized drinking water source areas in Chongqing,and in combination with survey,analysis and evaluation of urban-rural drinking water source areas in whole city.There are engineering measures and non-engineering measures,to guarantee drinking water security of rural residents,improve rural ecological environment,realize sustainable use of water resource,and promote sustainable development of society.Engineering measures include conservation and protection of water resource,ecological restoration,isolation,and comprehensive control of pointsource and area-source pollution.Non-engineering measures include construction of monitoring system for drinking water source area,construction of security information system for rural centralized drinking water source area,and construction of emergency mechanism for water pollution accidents in rural water source areas.

A review of water resources utilization and protection in Southwest China

Yunnan and Guizhou are two provinces in Southwest China where in recent years drought disasters have occurred due to natural and human factors. This paper reviewed literature and summarized the related achievements of water resources utilization and protection in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. rivers, and karst ground water in the two provinces, and also This included characters and utilization of precipitation, the various explanations of drought （climate and human factors） and strategies for coping with droughts. Our concluding remarks highlight three lines of future studies： inequalities and equitable use of water distribution, better evaluation systems, and raising awareness through conservation practices.

Empirical Study on Protection of Drinking Water in China——Taking Lin'an as an Example

[ObjectiveJ Taking Lin＇an City in Zhejiang Province as an example, the protection of drinking water in China was studied. [Method] Through consulting historical data, questionnaire, and interview, and based on the experience and achievement of protecting drinking water in Lin＇an during the ＂eleventh five-year plan＂ period, problems in the protection of drinking water in Lin＇an was proposed. [ Result] Through empirical study, huge achievement in protecting drinking water in Lin＇an in recent years was achieved. However, there were still problems such as safety problem in the water protection area, room for improving pollution management, investment input and public participation, etc. In response to the problems, it was proposed to strengthen the publicity and education, fortify pollution management and innovate fund raising mechanism, etc. to construct all- round water protection network. [Conclusion] The study provided experience for the protection of drinking water in China.

Study on Control Scheme for Nonpoint Source Pollution in Dahe Reservoir Water Source Protection Area of Dianchi Lake Basin

[ Objective] The research aimed to study control scheme for nonpoint source pollution in Dahe Reservoir water source protection area of Dianchi Lake basin.[ Method] On the basis of the SPOT5 satellite remote sensing imagery in 2010 and field investigation of GPS record, ecological design for nonpoint source pollution control in Dahe Reservoir water source protection area of Dianchi Lake basin was conducted. Then, the effects of optimization measures were evaluated by the reductions of N and P outputs on different land-use types. E Resultl Control functions of the water source protection area on soil erosion and the emissions of N, P and other pollutants would be promoted after optimization. The optimization meas- ures had a significant effect for prevention and control of the non-point source pollution in the water source protection area. [ Conclusion] The re- search provided scientific basis for promoting ecological construction of the small green basin in Dahe Reservoir water source protection area of Di- anchi Lake basin.

Groundwater protection:What can we learn from Germany?

For drinking water security the German waterworks proceed on a comprehensive concept,i.e.,the protection of all the regions from the recharge area to the client.It includes the protection of the recharge area by a precautionary management,a safe water treatment,a strict maintenance of the water distribution network,continuous control and an intensive training of staff.Groundwater protection zones together with effective regulations and control play a very important role.Three protection zones with different restrictions in land-use are distinguished.Water in reservoirs and lakes is also protected by Surface Water Protection Zones.Within the surrounding area the land-use is controlled,too.Special treatment is necessary if acidification happens caused by acid rain,or eutrophication caused by the inflow of sewage.Very important is the collaboration between waterworks and the farmers cultivating land in the recharge area in order to execute water-protecting ecological farming with the aim to reduce the application of fertilizers and plant protection agents.Probable financial losses have to be compensated by the waterworks.

Equitable utilisation and effective protection of sharing transboundary water resources: international rivers of western China

Western China includes 12 provincial divisions (the 7 provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and; 5 autonomous regions of Tibet, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Guangxi; and one city of Chongqing), which comprise 71.4% of the national land area, 28.5% of the national population and produce 17.5% of the national GDP in China. There are 17 countries that have riparian relationships with western China, most of which are water-short countries. All are listed by UN ESCAP as countries with potential water crisis. The co-operative development and coordinated management of international rivers in western China is an important step toward the implementation of the national Great Western Development program. Taking into account of the national strategy and object hierarchy, as well as the development demand of the western region, it is necessary to pursue the multi-disciplinary study of the equitable allocation, utilisation, and eco-environment protection of transboundary water resources in the region. Such efforts will undoubtedly provide scientific evidence and support for the decision-making of the environmental protection and ecological construction and management in the western regions, the enforcement of the sub-regional economic co-operation, mitigation of trans-boundary conflicts, and enhancing bio-diversity conservation.

Design Strategy of Emergency Pools at Source Water Protection Areas

The pollution problem arising from the flushing of initial rainwater and wastewater from accidents while transporting dangerous goods to source water protection areas needs to be solved as soon as possible.Therefore,the design of corresponding environmental protection measures should be considered in the engineering design stage.It is necessary to analyze the specific work in combination with engineering examples.Under this background,this paper first briefly expounds the precautions in accident risk analysis and the design of tank capacity and tank body.Finally,by analyzing actual cases,this paper systematically studies the design strategy of emergency pool in source water protection area,hoping to provide new development ideas for the upgrading of relevant work.

Study on Regulating Effects of "Aquatic Environment Protection Oriented Fishery" on Water Environment of Qiaodun Reservoir

In order to evaluate the regulating effect of ＂ aquatic environment protection oriented fishery＂ on aquatic ecosystem,the water quality,plankton community structure,biomass,diversity index,eutrophication index and ecosystem maturity evaluated with Ecopath model were compared from 2010 to 2012 in Qiaodun Reservoir of Zhejiang Province. It was indicated that the water quality had been improved obviously. The water transparency maximally increased by 130%,while TP,TN and CODCrwere reduced. The density and biomass of the plankton were decreased,so was the ratio of Cynobacteria in phytoplankton community. The Shannon-Weaver index was increased; the trophic level was decreased; the ecosystem maturity was improved. By all accounts,the ＂ aquatic environment protection oriented fishery＂ had positive effects on maintaining the balance of reservoir ecosystem and ensuring the safety of drinking water.

Analysis of the Status and Rational Allocation of Water Resources in China in View of the New Era

This paper examines the current status of water resource management and conservation in China,along with strategies to address the water resource crisis.Given the current situation,the paper highlights issues such as incomplete legal mechanisms,limited environmental awareness among enterprises,and insufficient government investment.To ad-dress these challenges,the paper proposes a series of strategies,including improving the ecological environment,enhanc-ing production techniques,strengthening management systems,rationalizing water resource allocation,and implementing water-saving measures in both industrial and agricultural production.These strategies serve to achieve sustainable water resource management,reduce water pollution,and effectively tackle the pressing water resource issues faced in China currently.

Concurrent mining and reclamation for underground coal mining subsidence impacts in China

Large scale underground mining of coal resources in China using longwall mining has resulted in ecological and environment problems, including surface subsidence that is considered serious due to competing interests of prime agricultural lands, food security, and regional economic development. The subsided lands must be rehabilitated soon after mining to be agriculturally productive to minimize loss of farmland. Similarly, precious water resources must also be managed during and after mining to protect this natural resource. Toward these goals, the concept of ＂Concurrent mining and subsidence reclamation （CMR）＂ was proposed by Professor Hu of the China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing （CUMTB）. Over the last two decades CMR concepts have evolved and successfully applied in the field in different parts of China. This innovative technology has increased available farmland during the mining process, and provided better land protection and food security in mining areas even with high groundwater table. The technology has been used in 5 of the 14 large coal bases in China. This paper describes the technology concepts, design and guiding principles for planning with two case studies from different regions to enhance its application both in China and in other countries.

Statistical evaluation of fluoride contamination in groundwater resources of Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina

This study investigates the suitability of statistical techniques for evaluating the fluoride content and the groundwater quality from Robles Department(RD)and Banda Department(BD)in Santiago del Estero(Argentina).For the original statistical study,evaluation of nine parameters(fluoride,pH,conductivity,atmospheric and water temperature,total dissolved solids,chloride,hardness,and alkalinity)of 110 collected underground water samples from 23 dispersed rural areas was proposed.Groundwater samples were obtained by sampling taken from wells at different depths.Fluoride levels were determined by a standard colorimetric method in two seasonal periods,the dry(from April to September)and rainy(from October to March)period.The analytical results obtained for physicochemical parameters such as pH,total dissolved solids(TDS),and temperature does not reveal any notable difference between the rainy and dry seasons studied.In both seasons,the atmospheric temperature average was 22℃.With respect to fluoride content,approximately 50%of the analysed groundwater samples exceeded the limit established by current legislation(1.0 mg/L),obtaining concentration levels in the range of 0.01-2.80 mg/L.This study demonstrates the usefulness of the univariate statistical method(quartiles calculation,interquartile range IQR),multivariate principal component analysis(PCA),and cluster analysis to establish a better understanding of the state of the contamination of the waters in the region studied.

Water requirement pattern for tobacco and its response to water deficit in Guizhou Province

The water requirement pattern for tobacco（Yun 85） was identified based on analysis of data obtained from pot experiments in a canopy at the Xiuwen Irrigation Test Central Station in Guizhou Province, China. The results showed that the tobacco water requirement and the tobacco water requirement intensity throughout the growth period in pot experiments were significantly lower than those in field production. In pot experiments, the tobacco water requirement throughout the growth period ranged from 159.00 to 278.90 mm, with a reduction in the range of241e441 mm, as compared with that in field production. Also, the average water requirement intensity at the vigorous growing stage was1.97 mm/d, and the water requirement and water requirement module were 33.80e72.60 mm and 16.39%e33.09%, respectively, at the group stage, almost equal to their values at the vigorous growing stage. The patterns of the tobacco water requirement and water requirement module in pot experiments were different from those in field production. In pot experiments, the tobacco water requirement and water requirement module ranked the highest at the mature stage, followed by those at the group/vigorous growing and rejuvenation stages, while the water requirement intensity ranked the highest at the vigorous growing stage, followed by those at the mature, group, and rejuvenation stages. The pattern of the water requirement intensity in pot experiments was consistent with that in field production. In addition, the response of the tobacco water requirement to water deficit was also analyzed. Serious water deficit at the vigorous growing stage and continuous water stress at the group,vigorous growing, and mature stages can greatly influence the tobacco water requirement. Water deficit led to reductions in the water requirement and water requirement intensity at each growth stage. The vigorous growing stage exhibited the highest sensitivity to water deficit.The lower limit of moderate soil water stress at the vigorous growing stage was 65% of the field capacity. Results of this study can help to establish a reasonable irrigation schedule for tobacco production in Guizhou Province, China.

Environmental issues and countermeasures in exploiting water resources of rivers

Based on affirming the tremendous benefits that water resources of rivers can provide in their exploitation, main environmental problems and their countermeasures have been proposed and analyzed in this paper. It is argued that multiple measures should be applied to solving those problems by simultaneously carrying out engineering measures, scientific research and also programs to cultivate the society’s awareness, aimed at a sustainable development strategy for exploiting water resources.

Environmental Issues in the Mining Sector of Mongolia

This research is the summary of the results of the environmental damage assessment and rehabilitation cost estimation works carried out involving in total, 242 gold-placers’ licensed areas, within the framework of implementation of the “Law on Prohibiting Exploration and Mining of Minerals at Sources of Rivers and Streams, within Protected zones of Water basins and Forest funds”, adopted by the Parliament of Mongolia, in 2009.

AquaticTox:A Web-Based Tool for Aquatic Toxicity Evaluation Based on Ensemble Learning to Facilitate the Screening of Green Chemicals

The widespread use of chemical products inevitably brings many side effects as environmental pollutants.Toxicological assessment of compounds to aquatic life plays an important role in protecting the environment from their hazards.However,in vivo animal testing approaches for aquatic toxicity evaluation are timeconsuming,expensive,and ethically limited,especially when there are a great number of compounds.In silico modeling methods can effectively improve the toxicity evaluation efficiency and save costs.Here,we present a web-based server,AquaticTox,which incorporates a series of ensemble models to predict acute toxicity of organic compounds in aquatic organisms,covering Oncorhynchus mykiss,Pimephales promelas,Daphnia magna,Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata,and Tetrahymena pyriformis.The predictive models are built through ensemble learning algorithms based on six base learners.These ensemble models outperform all corresponding single models,achieving area under the curve(AUC)scores of 0.75−0.92.Compared to the best single models,the average precisions of the ensemble models have been increased by 12−22%.Additionally,a self-built knowledge base of the structure-aquatic toxic mode of action(MOA)relationship was integrated into AquaticTox for toxicity mechanism analysis.Hopefully,the user-friendly tool(https://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/server/AquaticTox);could facilitate the identification of aquatic toxic chemicals and the design of green molecules.

Zeolites for the environment

Zeolites are characterized by their microporous,crystalline structures with a four-connected framework with variable compositions,predominantly aluminosilicates.They are extensively utilized as adsorbents,catalysts,and ion exchangers across domestic and industrial sectors.With the ongoing energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources and the pursuit of environmentally sustainable development,zeolites are increasingly being explored beyond their traditional application fields.They are investigated for their adsorption and catalytic capabilities in the protection and restoration of air,water,and soil quality,as well as in the environmentally friendly“green”production of chemicals.This review article details these novel and potential applications of zeolites,emphasizing the unique properties that render them suitable for each specific use case and discussing how these properties can be fine-tuned through material selection or tailored synthesis methods.

An approach to calculating allowable watershed pollutant loads

To improve the management of discharge pollutants loads in the reservoirs＇ watershed, an approach of the allowable pollutants loads calculation and its allocation, based on the water environment model, was proposed. Establishment of the approach framework was described at first. Under the guidance of this framework, two major steps were as follows： modeling and scenario analysis were involved and should be applied to support the decision of discharge loads management; Environ- mental Fluid Dynamic Code （EFDC） model was selected as the kernel model in this framework. In modeling step, spatial discretization for establishing cell map in model, data preprocessing, parameter calibration and uncertainty analysis （which is considered as the significantly relevant factor of the margin of safety （MOS））, were conducted. As a result of the research, the model-based approach presented as a combination of estimation and precise calculation, which contributed to scenario analysis step. Some integrated modules, such as scenario simulation, result analysis and plan optimization were implemented as cycles in the scenario analysis. Finally, allowable pollutant loads under various conditions were calculated. The Chaihe Reservoir in Liaoning Province, China was used as a case study for an application of the approach described above. Results of the Chaihe reservoir water quality simulation, show good agreement with field data and demonstrated that the approach used in the present study provide an efficient and appropriate methodology for pollutant load allocation.

A comparison of the water management systems in France and China

This paper compares legal systems for water management in France and China, with a focus on integrated water resources management and regarding in particular the formulation of policies and their implemen- tation. The research shows that China has committed itself to the efficient management of water resources through the development of various policy tools during the current period. This commitment, however, has often been interrupted and distorted by politics, resulting in the neglect of socioeconomic and environmental priorities. France has developed a legislative framework and practical instruments to apply integrated water resources manage- ment at the river basin level since the 1960s. This experience and the current implementation of the European Water Framework Directive brings elements that can contribute to Chinese society meeting its water challenges.