Assessment on the water security of Zhangye based on the DPSIR model

Water resources are the most important strategic resource in Northwest. Poor water condition is an important reason for fragile ecological environment, economic backwardness, and concentrated poverty population. Deep study of water security is an effective way to promote the protection of the western development strategy. This paper reviews the forefront progress of both international and domestic, conceptualizes water security, constructs DPSIR model, and emphasizes the seriousness of the water security issues caused by the high intensity of human activity, then explores the driving, pressure, influence, status and respond factors of water security. Zhangye region is taken as a case study area, and the AHP and entropy weight method is employed to determine the weight factors. Finally, the gray theory method is used to evaluate water security in 2004-2010 in Zhangye. The conclusions are that: the water security of Zhangye City has increased steadily and it has taken a greater progress since 2004 to 2010. Adverse natural factors are still the main reason for water security issues. In addition, the facts of high intensity of human activities, less developed economic status and the negative system of management further conduce social resources scarcity, which aggravate the water safety problems.