Evaluating water resource security in Karst Areas using DPSIRM modeling, gray correlation, and matter-element analysis

To evaluate the long-term security of water resources in Guizhou, this paper presents an evaluation index that incorporates the driving force-pressure-state-impact-response-management (DPSIRM) framework, the gray correlation method, and matter-element analysis. For the period of 2005-2012, our results show that water resources were within the "generally safe" limits for all years except 2006 and 2011, which were characterized by drought conditions. In karst regions, drought has a relatively large impact on water security and is compounded in Guizhou by rapid economic development, nonpoint-source agricultural pollution, and inadequate sewage treatment. Nonetheless, recent efforts to return farmland to forest and grassland and to control desertification have led to increased forest cover and higher levels of soil and water conservation, while systems have been implemented to foster the effective management of water resources in karst areas. In this study, we used both gray matter-element analysis and a DPSIRM framework to assess the state of water resources in Guizhou, the results of which were compared and verified by the gray set pair method, and to provide a reference for evaluating other karst areas.