Problems for water resources development in typical small karst drainage basins and countermeasures

In karst area water deficit is one of the main factors constraining sustainable economic development. In 1979 the comprehensive karstic observational field station was set up in Houzhai drainage basin located,\ in Puding county of Guizhou Province, which can represent most of the small karst drainage basins on the dividing line of the Guizhou Plateau. Geomorphology, water resources and water chemistry were investigated and observed. Based on comparisons of water supply with water demand and analysis of the main problems in water exploitation and utilization. it is found out that the water deficiency was not directly caused by the scarcity of natural water resources. The true reason is the insufficient capacity of water supply caused by the dismatch of the water and soil water resources which can be dealt with by building more irrigation works. Some solutions such as to build scientific basis for water exploitation and utilization and sustainable economic development in karst drainage basins on dividing line of the Guizhou Plateau.