Analysis for spatial-temporal matching pattern between water and land resources in Central Asia

• Main Authors: Ying Zhang, Zhengxiao Yan, Jinxi Song, Anlei Wei, Haotian Sun, Dandong Cheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IWA Publishing 2020-10-01
• Series: Hydrology Research
• Subjects: arcgis; spatial and temporal pattern; water and land resources matching; water distribution and utilization
• Online Access: http://hr.iwaponline.com/content/51/5/994
• ISSN: 1998-9563; 2224-7955

Central Asia, the pioneering place of the ‘Belt and Road’, is under the threat of prominent water issues. Based on the Gini coefficient model and the matching index, the amount of the total renewable water resources and the cultivated land area were introduced to evaluate the matching pattern between the water and land resources in Central Asia. The water problem of Kazakhstan, being the most prominent, shows low water resources per unit area with the highest reclamation rate. The matching degree for the upstream countries of the Aral Sea (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) was better than those of the downstream countries (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan). The Gini coefficient in Central Asia was 0.32, smaller than that of the global average value (0.59). The overall water available for use and the matching cultivated land resources was reasonable. Large differences exist in the matching degree in water distribution and utilization among Central Asian countries. The matching index of water and land resources in Central Asia was 1.25, similar to the matching degree estimated from the Gini coefficient model. Moreover, rational measures are suggested to alleviate the issue of water and land resources matching in Central Asia. HIGHLIGHTS The Gini coefficient model is to evaluate the overall level of matching degree.; The matching index model is introduced for evaluating the spatial matching pattern.; The matching situation for the upstream countries of the Aral Sea was better than those of the downstream countries.; Two models perform similarly in matching pattern.; The matching index of water and land resources in Central Asia was 1.25.;