Exploration and suggestions for integrated regulation of water resources in Ningxia

XU Xuefeng; WU Haotian; ZHAO Zhixuan; WANG Yanbing; YANG Miao

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-1123.2026.03.004

Abstract：Integrated water resource regulation is a key initiative for implementing the principle of"spatial equilibrium".To mitigate the conflict between water scarcity and high quality socioeconomic development in Ningxia and to enforce the rigid constraints of defining city,land,population,and production by water,this study systematically analyzed the current status and key challenges of water resource regulation in Ningxia.Drawing on regulatory practices under the rigid water resource constraint system,it innovatively constructed a matrix based collaborative governance and unified regulation model characterized by"vertical integration and horizontal coordination".This model has conducted effective exploration in integrated water resource regulation by establishing a comprehensive unified regulation system,improving a four level regulatory organizational structure,innovating a multi level collaborative operational mechanism,and strengthening five major coordination mechanisms,achieving notable results.In light of existing shortcomings in Ningxia's integrated water resource regulation,countermeasures and suggestions were proposed:strengthening the foundation of the national water network project with a focus on"network interconnection,gap filling,and chain reinforcement";improving the collaborative supervision system with the goal of"clear responsibilities and effective enforcement";overcoming monitoring bottlenecks by prioritizing"accurate measurement and reliable data";building a smart regulation center oriented toward"digital twins and intelligent decision making",so as to enhance the capacity and level of integrated water resource regulation and management.