TY - GEN
T1 - A multi-agent system based model for water allocation management in the Yellow River Basin
AU - Yang, Yi Chen E.
AU - Zhao, Jianshi
AU - Cai, Ximing
PY - 2010/8/2
Y1 - 2010/8/2
N2 - The management of large river basins such as the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China involves distributed, local decision processes, as well as mechanisms that coordinate individual decisions and manage basin-level issues. The Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) has implemented a water allocation management plan, namely Unified Water Flow Regulation (UWFR), since 1998, as a guideline for water allocation among the eight provinces located in the basin. This regulation works as a centralized control mechanism that enforces the upper limit of water withdrawals (water permits) for users along the river. It is expected that if all the provinces from upstream to downstream follow the allocation plan, then the flow cutoff events that occurred every year during 1972-1998 can be avoided. In the context of the regulation plan, this study attempts to understand the behaviors of the water users in the basin, explores the socioeconomic and environmental consequences of the regulation, and tests options to improve water allocation management in the basin. To address these objectives, a multi-agent system (MAS) based model is developed for the YRB. The MAS model depicts agents' autonomy in water use decisions and interactions among the agents with consideration of both human and ecological water demands. Several modeling scenarios show possible improvements of the current regulation regarding economic, social (equity) and environmental objectives.
AB - The management of large river basins such as the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China involves distributed, local decision processes, as well as mechanisms that coordinate individual decisions and manage basin-level issues. The Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) has implemented a water allocation management plan, namely Unified Water Flow Regulation (UWFR), since 1998, as a guideline for water allocation among the eight provinces located in the basin. This regulation works as a centralized control mechanism that enforces the upper limit of water withdrawals (water permits) for users along the river. It is expected that if all the provinces from upstream to downstream follow the allocation plan, then the flow cutoff events that occurred every year during 1972-1998 can be avoided. In the context of the regulation plan, this study attempts to understand the behaviors of the water users in the basin, explores the socioeconomic and environmental consequences of the regulation, and tests options to improve water allocation management in the basin. To address these objectives, a multi-agent system (MAS) based model is developed for the YRB. The MAS model depicts agents' autonomy in water use decisions and interactions among the agents with consideration of both human and ecological water demands. Several modeling scenarios show possible improvements of the current regulation regarding economic, social (equity) and environmental objectives.
KW - China
KW - Optimization
KW - Pricing
KW - River basins
KW - Water management
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954984800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77954984800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1061/41114(371)273
DO - 10.1061/41114(371)273
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:77954984800
SN - 9780784411148
T3 - World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2010: Challenges of Change - Proceedings of the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2010
SP - 2656
EP - 2663
BT - World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2010
T2 - World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2010: Challenges of Change
Y2 - 16 May 2010 through 20 May 2010
ER -