Building check dams systems to achieve water resource efficiency: modelling to maximize water and ecosystem conservation benefits

Abstract

Abstract Among the most widespread structures for successfully retaining water and checking erosion on the semi-arid portions of China's Loess Plateau, check dams retain silt at slower than projected rates, leading to flood control issues. Meanwhile, the shortage and the uneven distribution of time and space of water resources in semi-arid areas can easily cause droughts and floods, which seriously restricted the rapid development of the socioeconomic. However, some of the high-quality rain and flood resources accumulated in the check dams can be used to alleviate part of the water resources crisis instead of causing flood. With the goal of holistically maximizing a projected check dam array's water resource, ecosystem and socioeconomic benefits, a Check Dam Benefit Maximization Model (CDBMM) was first developed. The CDBMM was first applied to the Si Jiagou Basin, and the model showed the total costs represent 7.07% of the total and rather significant benefits. Water resources benefits accounting for 45.40% of the total benefits, indicating that the water resources benefits were substantial and should be considered as the main influencing factors in the basin's ecosystem-friendly design and construction. Use of the CDBMM in watershed planning will allow a more efficient use of water and soil resources and greatly alleviate water crises in the semi-arid area. It can further provide a reference for both check dam system planning and the system benefits analysis.