Set pair analysis method for coordination evaluation in water resources utilizing conflict

In order to describe management problems of water resource system conflicts quantitatively, six elements were proposed in the management of water resources conflicts, which are coordination participator, coordination goal, coordination index, behavioral strategies, coordination situation and coordination rule. In the coordination management of conflicts in water resource systems a coordination index has a lower limiting value meeting the coordination participator interests, and has an upper limiting value for ensuring the interests of the overall system and other coordination participators. When the coordination index value exceeds the limiting range, the interests of the overall system and other coordination participators cannot be guaranteed. The coordination indexes of water resources conflict are interval numbers. According to the characteristics of interval pattern indexes, the bidirectional connection number was proposed to describe the coordination degree. Based on the bidirectional connection number, the coordination evaluation method was developed, and was used in the coordination evaluation of water resource conflicts in the Yellow River basin. The results showed that the coordination status of water resources utilization was generally acceptable. However, with increasing water consumption in some provinces in the Yellow River basin in recent years, the available water supply cannot meet the allocation plan for water resource supply. The coordination degree of water resources utilization has, therefore, been declining.