An Overall Development of Water Resources for China's Rivers

River valley is the home of the most advanced ecosystem on the earth. As a key factor of valley ecosystem, development of water resource dominants the growth of whole valley ecosystem. China is one of the earliest countries in the world to harness the valley water resources to breed its civilization, and the country is now boasting for great achievements in an overall development of valley water when tens of big dams are under construction. In 2008, for example, the overall used rate of China's water resources reached 25.9%, while that of the world's average registered only 16.9%. The three valleys of the Huaihe River, the Haihe River and the Yellow River stood at the top with their overall used rates of 67.2%, 66.1% and 61.9%, respectively. Most rivers in the three valleys no longer reach the sea for several months each year. In fact, China is now facing an unexpected challenge when a rapid growth of its socio-economy is thirsty for a diversified water supply, from the industrials such as agriculture, manufacture, power generation to civil departments in both urban and rural areas. More importantly, the general feature of China's water resource structure, divided commonly by the two used-purposes of survival and prosper, is apt for the development of hydro-power generation rather than other uses, compared with other countries. Considering the combined impact of water resource structure, a changeable pattern of water usages and regional development disparities in general, and the global climate change in particular, China could set a target for its overall development of water resources not more than 35% of the national total. Under which, the capacity for water withdrawn would maintain at around 25% of its total resources, and the capacity for hydropower generation would be harnessed by about 50% of its total economically exploitable.