The current problems of water scarcity, pollution by agriculture, industry and households and saltwater intrusion in the coastal area for Shandong Province, PR China, are influenced by economic, political, social, cultural and ecological conditions. Management measures to reach more reliable water supply and better ecological status in the Huangshui catchment area could cause remarkable costs and benefits to different stakeholder groups in the region – like farmers, households, different industries and government.
Therefore, the effects of alternative management options jointly identified by the German and Chinese project partners, Chinese planning authorities and local stakeholders were investigated in the course of a socio-economic analysis.
Potential measures and management alternatives were evaluated from the perspective of ecological effectiveness, economic efficiency and social acceptability. Furthermore, it has been taken into account that institutional circumstances and financing opportunities play a vital role in the implementation process.