干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Urumqi, a megacity located in an arid region, was selected as the object for this study. The level of economic development, population size, the efficiency of the industrial water use and the water resource development as well as utilization level were comprehensively considered. Through constructing all factor decomposition model, Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method was used to conduct decomposition analyses on the factors that caused the changes in total water consumption and water use efficiency in Urumqi from 1995 to 2012. The relative contribution rates of various positively driving factors and inhibitory factors were calculated, and their influence levels and directions were measured. The results indicated that the level of economic development and water use intensity, and the effects of industrial water use structures, economic level, and water use intensity were the determining factors that influenced the water use consumption and efficiency respectively. The results obtained from this study could provide guidance for the studies on the correct understanding of the relationship between the process of water utilization and the process of economic development in this oasis city and for promoting the social and economic development and for increasing the ensuring ability of water resources. The adjustment of industrial structures and the upgrading of industrial technologies caused certain inhibitory effects on the total water consumption but these effects were not strong. Other methods used as the supplements are needed for relaxation of the sharp contradictions between the demand and supply of water resources. The amount of water supply per capital had inhibitory effects to a certain extent on water resource utilization efficiency. The efficiency of water resource utilization can be increased through controlling water resources supply to artificially create the shortage of water resource supply so that the contradictions between the increasing demand on water use for social and economic development and the water supply shortage can be effectively alleviated.