Regulation and Management of Water Resources in Haihe River Basin Based on Evapotranspiration

With the increasing scarcity of water resources, traditional approaches-expanding water supply capacity and reducing water use-prove inadequate for optimizing water efficiency in complex conversion processes. To achieve real water saving with less impact on water cycle requires reducing regional evapotranspiration (ET) and overall water consumption. This highlights the need to assess the rationality of water resource utilization beyond water supply alone, considering the influence of various user consumption patterns on regional ET. To better protect and manage water resources, this study established an ET-based framework integrating multiobjective optimization and simulation of water resources allocation for better water management with application to the Haihe River Basin of China. Firstly, the target ET of different administrative units is calculated based on ecological requirements and water balance. Secondly, the provincial target ET and water control target are determined by a multiobjective decision model [decision analysis for multiobjective system (DAMOS)], considering the different demands of urban residents, industry, the ecosystem, and the environment. Finally, the rule-based optimization of water allocation strategy (ROWAS) water allocation model simulates the water resources allocation process to meet the needs of all parties and ET constraints. This method presents an ET-based framework for optimizing water resources distribution, providing both a theoretical foundation and technical support to mitigate conflicts between regional water supply and demand, as well as between ecological preservation and economic development goals.