Spatiotemporal evolution of water resource sustainability in Shaanxi (China) from 2010 to 2020 based on an adapted water resources ecological footprint model

We used an adapted water resources ecological footprint model with two sub-models to assess water resources' status and usage. One sub-model is the water consumption ecological footprint, encompassing household, productive, and ecological consumption. The other is the water pollution ecological footprint, analysing primary pollution indicators: chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen. Results revealed that 89% of the total water resources ecological footprint was attributed to consumption, whereas only 11% was due to pollution. We found a gradual increase in the water resources ecological footprint from 2010 to 2020, with Xi'an consistently exhibiting the highest value. Despite a slight reduction in water resources ecological pressure due to new environmental policies, the carrying capacity declined annually. Encouragingly, there was a noticeable improvement in water use efficiency. This study advances theory and implementation of water resources ecological footprint, and elucidates the interrelationship among economic development, water resource pressure, and utilization.