Coupling Variable Fuzzy Sets and Gini Coefficient to Evaluate the Spatial Equilibrium of Water Resources

It has been a consensus that water resources are unevenly distributed in space, often resulting in imbalance between water demand and supply. Quantitative characterization of this inequality of water resources in a region can help prioritize water management by identifying marginalized regions with comprehensive considerations. A framework for evaluating spatial equilibrium of water resources has been proposed by coupling variable fuzzy sets and Gini coefficient methods in this study. The framework was then demonstrated by its application to the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB) in China to analyze the dynamics of the spatial equilibrium of its water resources from 2009 to 2018 using three indicators, namely, water resources load index, water and soil matching coefficient and water use benefit. The results show that the spatial equilibrium state of water resources in the YEB is stable in a critical state throughout the period of study, with slight fluctuations. The inequality of water resources load is the main disturbance factor, providing the water management priority toward a better balance between water resources utilization and demand.