Discussion on the Contradiction between Water Supply and Demand in the Yellow River and its Countermeasures

Yellow River, the maternal river of China, is of vital importance to the national economic development in China. With the development of social economy and the deterioration of ecological environment in the Yellow River basin, the contradiction between the supply of and demand for water resources of the basin is becoming more and more severe. This paper investigates the factors influencing the decline in water resources availability and the impact of this decline on the contradiction between water supply and demand in the Yellow River. The analysis is based on a historical study of the scarcity of rainfall and changes in climate, social economic development, water pollution and inter - sector water uses in the basin systematically. Finally, according to the analysis of the reasons for the water resources contradiction in the basin, the countermeasures to alleviate the contradiction are proposed in light of sustainable development.