Table 1 Evaluation index system of carrying capacity in Guanzhong region.

Water ecological environment-carrying capacity

GDP per capita (RMB/person)

Ratio of GDP to total population

Per capita net income of rural residents (RMB/person)

Ratio of net income of rural residents to rural population

Water efficiency (%)

Ratio of basin or regional water consumption to total water resources

Water resources per capita

Ratio of total water resources to population in basin or region

Industrial water reuse rate (%)²⁸

Ratio of industrial repeated water consumption to total industrial water consumption

Centralized treatment rate of sewage

The proportion of domestic sewage treated by domestic sewage treatment plants to the total domestic sewage discharge

COD environmental capacity loading rate (%)

Ratio of COD environmental capacity to total COD emission

Dilution-ratio

Ratio of sewage discharge to river runoff

Cultivated land irrigation rate²⁹

Ratio of effective irrigated area to cultivated land

Ecological base flow^30,31

Minimum amount of water to maintain an ecosystem from destruction

Vegetation coverage (%)^32,33

Ratio of total area of grassland to total area of land

Lose rate of water and soil (%)

Ratio of total land loss area to total land area