Exergy-based water resource allocation of the mainstream Yellow River

Based on the water resource exergy including chemical exergy, thermal exergy, potential exergy and sediment exergy, the allocation of water resource exergy along the mainstream Yellow River is illuminated. The water resource exergy for different anthropocentric water uses is also classified as agricultural irrigation exergy, industrial exergy, urban domestic exergy and rural domestic exergy. Aquatic exergetic ecotope (AEE) index is proposed as an indicator of the river ecosystem status in view of resource characteristic of exergetic assessment. Finally, the influences of the intake water on the AEE indices are well illustrated to reveal the possible impacts of water allocation on the river ecosystem status.