Water Quality Management in China: The Case of the Huai River Basin

This paper addresses the importance of water quality management and the impacts of water pollution control and water development projects. The case study of the Huai River Basin is an example of the major challenges on water quality management that China is facing, and why water quality management will play a key role on its sustainable use and management. Three urgent issues for the Huai River Basin are identified: water and ecosystem interactions on the river system due to the impacts of increasing pollution and water development projects; comprehensive assessment on impact of dams and sluices on changes of river flow regimes, water quality and ecosystems; and improvement of water quality, and the restoration of river ecosystems through state-of-the-art environmental monitoring and integrated water management practices.