Calculation of targeted eco-environmental water requirements in a dry inland river: a case study of the Yarkand River Basin, Xinjiang, China

Analysis of eco-environmental water requirements along a dry inland river under extreme drought conditions can provide a theoretical basis for the sustained utilization and management of water resources in arid regions. This paper uses the Yarkand River Basin in Xinjiang, China, as a case study to determine and assess a method to calculate targeted eco-environmental water requirements (TEEWR) for different ranges of ecological protection of inland riparian forests. The proposed method is intended to comprehensively analyze the water resources along arid inland rivers. Specifically, the ranges of ecological protection were gradually expanded at intervals of 1 km (or multiples of the smallest distance) away from the river course while the TEEWR was determined as a function of the ecological water demand of riparian forest vegetation (Yec) and its corresponding river loss (Xloss). The developed method was shown to be feasible for analyzing TEEWR in the Yarkand River Basin and thus provides a novel and effective approach for the rational utilization and management of water resources in inland river basins in arid regions.