Abstract:

Shanxi Province, located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, is not only an important energy base in the Yellow River Basin but also a vital ecological security barrier in North China. This study systematically analyzes the most prominent environmental problems currently facing the water ecology of the Yellow River Basin in Shanxi Province. It focuses on three dimensions: water environment quality, water resource utilization efficiency, and water ecosystem health. This study identifies several critical issues: exacerbated water pollution during flood seasons, with some river water quality–monitoring sections failing to consistently meet standards; prominent water supply–demand conflicts; a severe shortage of ecological water flow; and fragile ecosystems characterized by low functionality of aquatic ecosystem services. It proposes the following countermeasures and suggestions in response to these problems: first, strengthen the integrated management of urban and rural stormwater runoff pollution; second, promote the conservation and reuse of water resources; and, third, strengthen the protection and restoration of water ecosystems. If implemented, these countermeasures should provide a scientifically based approach for improving the water ecology of the Yellow River Basin in Shanxi Province and contribute to the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin.

Key words: Yellow River Basin, Shanxi Province, problem diagnosis, countermeasure suggestion