Overall framework and countermeasures for safeguarding water security in the Yellow River basin during The 15th Five-Year Plan period

ZU Leiming

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-1123.2025.20.001

Abstract：The Yellow River,known as the mother river of the Chinese nation,serves as an important benchmark for the governance of major rivers,a vital ecological security barrier,a key pilot zone for high-quality development,and a crucial area for preserving and promoting Chinese culture.This paper summarizes the implementation achievements of the water security plan during the 14th Five-Year Plan period in the Yellow River basin and analyzes the challenges faced in Yellow River protection and management during the 15th Five-Year Plan period,including the urgent need to enhance flood and sediment regulation capacity and improve the basin flood control engineering system;the long-term tight balance between water supply and demand;the need to strengthen water conservation and intensive utilization;the still unstable results of water ecological protection and restoration;the incomplete Digital Twin Yellow River system;and the continued need to improve water governance mechanisms,institutions,and legal management.In line with the strategic arrangements proposed in the"Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development",and focusing on the goal of"promoting high-quality development of water conservancy to ensure national water security",this paper puts forward countermeasures for improving the three major systems for basin flood and drought disaster prevention,strengthening the systems for water conservation,intensive utilization,and optimal allocation,enhancing the system for water ecological protection and restoration,and comprehensively improving scientific and technological innovation as well as basin governance and management capacities.