Risk assessment of water resources utilization in Songliao Basin of Northeast China

The demand of water is increasing with the socioeconomic development, and the contradictions between supply and demand of water resources in regional scale have become increasingly intensified. Scientifically evaluating the risk caused by the contradictions between supply and demand of water resources has become a useful way to solve the imbalance of water resources effectively. In the current study, the utilization of water resources in Songliao Basin was analyzed based on the water quantity, water quality, and socioeconomic data in 1999?C2006. Accordingly, a risk-evaluation index system of water resources utilization was generated, which included ten indicators, such as the total quantity of regional water resources. Three common factors (i.e., high water-demand, high water-supply, and low-quality water) were identified by factor analysis. These factors were then evaluated with spatial clustering. Thus, the risk distribution of water resources was made in the study area. The results indicate that (1) the pattern of water resources utilization in Songliao Basin was high risk in Songnei Plain and low risk in Changbaishan Mountain, and (2) Nenjiang and Songhua Rivers were high risk; however, Tumen and Wusuli Rivers were low risk.