Title: MIYUN Integrated watershed management for the protection of Beijings drinking water
1MIYUNIntegrated watershed managementfor the
protection of Beijings drinking water
Sara Enders P.R.E.M.I.U.M. An NSF-sponsored
Research Experience for Undergraduates May 15 -
July 8, 2005
2Overview
- I. A citys thirst and the reservoir to slake it
- II. Integrated watershed management, a framework
for reservoir protection - III. A visit to a pilot project in Miyun
- IV. Project evaluation and contextualization
3Annual per capita availability of fresh water
resources
Beijing, a thirsty city
Cubic meters
4How does Beijing compare?
Source Water Resources Bulletin, 2002.
5How does Beijing compare?
Source Water Resources Bulletin, 2002.
6Water Consumption in Beijing Municipality in 2001
44.6 (1740 mio. m3) Agriculture 31 (1205
mio m3) Residential use 23.6 (918 mio. m3)
Industry 0.8 (30 mio. m3) Ecological water
use
Figure taken from Sternfeld, 2003 Sternfelds
source Quelle / Beijing Municipal Water Bureau
2002
7Meeting a megacitys needs
- A combination of ground and surface water
- 2 big reservoirs Miyun and Guanting
- and then there was 1
8Available online at http//www.paulnoll.com/China/
Provinces/Province-Beijing.html
9A history of Miyun Reservoir
- Built in 1959-1960 during Chinas Great Leap
Forward, - Capacity 23 billion cubic meters
- Maximum surface area 188 km2
- Purpose flood control, irrigation of rural areas
in Beijing municipality, as well as Hebei
province and Tianjin municipality. - Guanting (completed, 1954) supplied water for
urban and industrial needs - Groundwater, a major source of drinking water.
10- Industrialization, population growth and
development ? over-allocation of water resources
Source http//www.federationofscientists.org/PMPa
nels/WaterResources.asp
11The way of Guanting
- 1970s, further construction of impoundments
sharply decreases inflows to reservoirs - Guanting is in trouble.
- Severe siltation problem
- Severe pollution by industry and agriculture
- 1997, Guanting is a class V water source
- Beijing ceases all use of Guanting water
-
- Not the way of Miyun!
12A citys growing pains
- Population of Beijing Municipality in 1950s was 4
million - Current population almost 15 million
- Beijing relies heavily on groundwater for water
resources - 1980s, drought further depletes groundwater
tables, Beijing faced crisis of electricity and
water resources - State Council issues a formal order granting
Beijing exclusive rights to Miyuns supply - By mid 90s,
- Miyun supplies 52 of residential water consumed
by municipality - Add to this water supplied to recharge
groundwater aquifers on which Beijing draws - ? 80 residential water use in Beijing supplied
by Miyun Reservoir
13Miyun under stress
- 7 consecutive dry years in Beijing have resulted
in a very low water table - Seriously reduced inflows threaten water quality
- Current storage 4 billion cubic meters
- Category water Class III (was class II, five
years ago) - Beijing government is determined to protect the
quality of Miyuns water
14Classes of water use
Class of Use
Description of Use
15The plan to save Miyun
- Regulation
- 1995, Beijing government issued a detailed
administrative regulation (guanli tiaoli) that
divided Miyun catchment into 3 watershed
protection zones - In zone 1 (reservoir, area inside lakeside road,
all areas 4km off shoreline), tourism and
industry strictly limited - In zones 2 and 3, mining especially limited
- Relocation of 10,000-20,000 residents
- Water protection zones across Miyun, Huairu,
Yanqing Counties - 140,000 residents, 4500 km2
16Community-based Integrated Watershed Management
- Integration management of small watersheds
- Community-based
- focuses on the joining of different stakeholders
in watershed management, especially those in
communities which have been ignored in the past.
(Li Zianxiang et al. 2005) - Attention paid to
- Local ecological specificity
- Social organization
17Integrated management of small watersheds
- Context the Sloped Land Conversion Program
- Aimed at erosion control and poverty alleviation
through land use change and concurrent economic
development - This is a common concept in all China, especially
northern China - In dry areas in northern China, erosion control
is aimed at the retention of water in mountain
areas - In Miyun, the situation is different need to
fill the reservoir
18Project goals
- Reduce sediment delivery to the reservoir
- Improve quality of water entering the reservoir
- Involve rural communities
- Improve welfare of watershed inhabitants
19The plan, as laid out by the Beijing Municipal
Forestry Bureau
- Land use change
- the current land use proportion of 123 for
farming, forestry, and grazing, should be
converted to 132. - Grazing livestock should be replaced by those fed
domestically - Recovering vegetation should take priority in the
development of husbandry - Water conservation forests
- more emphasis on broad-leaf trees, close to
nature forestry - 37 ratio, conifer broad-leaf plants
- Managing cultivated land, which is decreasing per
capita, for food security - Ameliorate the soil quality, physically and
chemically - increase organic matter
- rationalize the use of chemical fertilizer
- Explore alternative energy sources to the use of
fuel wood
20Watershed management for water production
- Project components
- Afforestation on steep slopes
- Fruit tree planting
- Improvement of terraces
- Gully structure building
- Road construction
- Environmental infrastructure in villages
- Closure of mountain areas
21Watershed management for water production
- Train farmers to be foresters
- - 48,000 peasants in Beijing are working as
part-time foresters - Land use change is discussed with the peasants.
- Necessary to include peasants because of the
labor intensive nature of the projects
22Partnerships for Pilot Protection Areas
The Sino-German Cooperation Project Protection
Management of Watershed of Miyun Reservoir
23A visit to Maoshigou
- June 4 of 2005
- Fengjiayu township
- A demonstration site of the Sino-German
cooperation project - One of two villages in a small watershed
management area - Currently in the 5th year of an 8 year project
- 54 residents in 17 households.
- 1998, village per capita income averaged less
than 1500Y. Now, per capita income is roughly
3500-4000Y.
24Source Water Resources Bulletin, 2002.
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29- Maoshigou Village Environmental Protection
Ordinances - Improve environmental awareness, particularly
related to water resources protection, by means
of education and training. - It is prohibited to damage facilities related to
water supply. - No household or individual can dump trash or emit
polluted wastewater from latrines into ditches,
gullies, streams, or roads. - Trash in ditches or on roads should be removed.
- Sanitary conditions of public and private
latrines should be maintained. - Without permission, logging and tree felling are
prohibited. Fire must be used with caution. - Those who make positive contributions to
environmental protection should be rewarded.
Those who violate environmental protection should
be fined and punished. - Everyone in the village should work with the
community to have good environmental conditions
and image, collectively.
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335 Household surveys
- Chinese names English names
- Qiu Xiao Lin A1
- Jhu B2
- Guo C3
- Qiu Bai Ling D4
- Wong C2
34Economic situation
- INCOME
- Reported annual income ranged from 4000 to
7000Y/year - - (village average is said to be 3500-4000Y)
- - family which seemed least well off (C2) did
not report an annual income - All spoke of material benefit from project
activities - Income from watershed protection activities
- government subsidies under sloped land conversion
scheme - roadwork
- helping with foresting on the hills
- fruit sales from orchard cultivation
- Pears, apples, and chestnuts
- Many are currently waiting for trees to bear
fruit, expected in 1-2 years - Sale of extra produce from intercropping
(peanuts, soy beans, xiao dou)
35Off-project sources of income
Economic Situation
- (A1)
- 1 son works at Karaoke bar in Beijing
- a side business of buying apples and pears grown
by others and selling them from their truck - (B1)
- - Husband works basic construction / manual
labor jobs, off-farm - (B2)
- husband is a factory worker. 1 son working in
Beijing city. - Husband earns 600Y to 700Y per month
(7200-8400Y/year) - She earns 2000Y per year with the crops from 2 mu
land - (C1)
- commercial affairs off-farm, such as
construction - (C2) None.
- Most expressed satisfaction with their levels of
income - The exception C2, reported insufficient income
- Noted fruits do not get a very good price.
- Income insufficient to cover medical costs.
36Economic Situation
- Assessing change in economic situation
- Increased employment opportunitites
- Previously, grew corn, raised sheep. Fruit and
chestnut trees require less time, allowing time
to work off-farm, which is highly profitable (B1)
- Now, there is more work (in forestry and
development) and a higher income to be had (A1). - Tangible benefits
- Before, it was hard to afford to send kids to
school. Now, primary and middle school tuition
is free of charge (C1). - Now, they can afford to buy meat (B1).
- They are now saving more money (B1).
- Village got its first telephone line, yesterday.
- Profits from fruit trees?
- Fruit trees found to generate greater profits
than agriculture (C1). - Fruit prices are low and profits are slim (C2).
- Concern for future Now we have so many fruit
trees who is going to buy all of the crops? More
people are needed to come pick up the fruit, but
people cant make it in because of the bad roads.
37Observations of environmental change since
project start
- All reported a cleaner village
- Water
- Every year, they clean the river bed, so the
water is much less polluted (A1). - The government purchased individual household
pumps for them, so their water is cleaner than it
was before, when they shared a communal well
(A1). - Vegetation
- Increased vegetation cover due to less grazing by
sheep (B1) - Sanitation
- Trash cleanup results in much less trash around.
- Greater personal sanitation
38Involvement in project management, monitoring
- Only 1 family (B2) was not involved in forest
monitoring - Forestry training
- Training in fire monitoring
- Engage in activities to promote the growth of
trees. - some cutting of branches to promote aesthetic
organization - Dead trees are replaced
- Training courses in fruit tree growing offered by
the township government are held at regional
office, 5-8km away. - Voluntary and open to public
- Villagers describe themselves as self-sufficient
tree planters after training (B1). - One household (C2) says in general, they do not
have time to go. - Professionals visit the village to provide
assistance on an irregular basis. Local village
occasionally coordinates instruction.
39Evidence of knowledge extensionUnderstanding of
Environmental Regulations
- All reported receiving some education about
environmental protection. - Cited Sino-German project as the conveyor of
information about regulations. - Expressions of confidence that regulations are
good for the environment, with admission that
they werent sure why. - Good agreement on policies of subsidized land
conversion - Regulations that sheep and goats could not be
raised in this area were well understood. - Different attitudes towards chemical use
- Some dont use chemical fertilizer in the
interest of water quality protection - Some dont think agrochemicals affect water
quality - Sense of environmental stewardship
- C1 specified that it was education, rather than
regulation, which caused her to decrease her use. - What about penalties for noncompliance?
- Understood to be revocation of subsidies.
- High level of compliance was reported (A1).
40A woman (B1) washes her clothes with a bar of
soap in the stream. It is her opinion that the
regulations are good. She says the soap does not
harm the water quality.
41Resettlement?
- In the early stages of the project, the
households of this village were offered 3000Y
each to move to the city. Not one family chose
to move. - Reasons given by (A1)
- had been here for many generations.
- the mountains are pretty, the air is good, the
water is sweet. - Impression that in the cities, there is no
guarantee of finding work.
42RUMORS OF RELOCATION 2 or 3 months ago village
was visited by a delegation from Japan. The
details of this interaction are not clear, but it
seems that this village was offered compensation
to relocate.
43Gauging level of satisfaction with project and
regulations
- No one expressed frustration with regulations, or
a strong desire to engage in other activities. - In the absence of regulations, (A1) would grow
whatever would generate the most income, though
the woman wasnt sure what that was. Probably
plant corn because it has a high yield and can
feed both livestock and family. - Asked whether they would use chemical fertilizer
if they were allowed to, answered that if there
was not enough manure, then they would. - Asked to compare this village to others, were
told that mainly, villages in mountain areas are
similar, but other villages are poorer because
they dont have subsidies. - Disinclination to second-guess the project, or
imagine how it could be done differently. When
asked if the project should be done any
differently? Whatever the government says,
people have to do it. (A1)
44Social observations
- Sense of emigration, uprooting
- Working in city, attending boarding school,
married out of village - Of the families surveyed, only one was living and
employed entirely in the village. This family
was also the most destitute. - B1 doesnt expect daughter, currently at boarding
school for her middle school education, to return
as an adult to the farm. - Some anxiety about relocation rumors
45Project Assessment
- No evidence of an imposed economic burden, or
chafing under restrictions - Took a well-off cross-section
- Took a complacent, retiring cross section
- Education a few messages were driven home
- Chemicals, notably omitted
- Lack of quantifiable demonstrable results
- Monitoring of progress is difficult
- More environmental data
- Inherently long timeframe
- Reservoir is overwhelmed by climate effects
46A drop in the watershed
47Zooming away from pilot sites
- Just how widely has compensation been provided?
Unclear. - Zone 1 used to have highest population density
Mr. Wu says now, only 30 residents what did he
mean? - Hard to miss the lack of compliance
- Reclaiming of reservoir shore for farming
- Blasting for building materials can be heard
- Reports of turning from farming to harmful
economic activities mining, fish farming - Movement of fish farming out of reservoir, into
tributaries
48Boundaries to progress
49Boundaries Looking back at Guanting
- 1972, Chinese government established the Leading
Group for the Protection of Guanting Reservoir - 1985, The Water Resource Protection of Guanting
Reservoir ratified by Beijing, Hebei, and Shanxi - But no one ever agreed who would pay for the
cleanup.
50A city with a big straw
- Miyun watershed area 15800 km2
- Of this, only 4500 km2 w/in Beijing Municipality
- Miyun County 2200 km2
- 70 of the watershed lies in upstream provinces
of Hebei and Shanxi - 2/3 in Hebei
- Hebei says You should compensate us for your
water use! - Beijing says Hebei, you pollute the water, pay
for cleanup!
51Water flows uphill,
Source Water Resources Bulletin, 2002
Towards money
52What about the other (urban) community?
- Demand management in Beijing
- Education
- Media attention
- Pricing
- Block pricing
- Multiple fee hikes
- Doesnt appear to constrain current use
53Ideally
Capital
Natural resources
54Need for Transparent Institutional Framework
- Balance those flows
- Need priorities for allocation for times of
drought - Avoid corruption
- 2001, inter-sectoral, inter-provincial group
for the protection of the water resources of the
Miyun and the Guanting reservoirs and for
inter-provincial water distribution - Ministry of Water Resources, Chair
- National Development Planning Commission, The
Ministry of Finance, Beijing municipal
government, co-chairs - Also, State Environment Protection Administration
- State Forestry Bureau
- Hebei and Shanxi provincial governments
- The institutional framework is in place, but the
agreements are neither institutionalized nor
transparent!
55Delivering water to cities
- Are cities blots on the face of the earth, with
large, growing ecological shadows? - Or are they sources of income, capital and ideas
necessary to address environmental problems? - (credit for
cleverness Nickum) - Both, of course.
56Asking, Is Miyun a model?
- What does it mean for Miyun to be a success?
- Sustainability
- Protection of Bs water
- Socioeconomic well-being of population
- Who will live in the watershed in the next
generation?
57Front-runner of paradigm shift
- June, 2001, Beijing Municipal Government
announced - "Sustainable Water Resource Utilization in the
Capital Area in the Early 21st Century" - In the short term, concentrate on water
conservation measures - In the medium term, re-open the Guanting
Reservoir for urban water supply and - In the long term, make full use of water
transported from the south via the South-North
Water Transfer Project (which may be completed by
2010). - Expansion phase ? Mature phase
- Soft path water resource management (Gleick)