Suitable oasis scales under a government plan in the Kaidu-Konqi River Basin of northwest arid region, China

The Kaidu-Konqi River Basin was chosen as the study site in this paper in order to investigate suitable scales of natural and artificial oases with a specified water resource and water quantity planned by the local government. Combined with remote-sensing images in 2013, water resources in 2013, 2020 and 2030, and weather and socioeconomic data, suitable scales of oases were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) The total available water quantities in the Yanqi Basin and the Konqi River Basin without river base flow, and the input of water into Bosten Lake and Tarim River, over high-, normal and low-flow periods, in 2020 and 2030, were 19.04×10 8 m 3 , 10.52×10 8 m 3 , 4.95×10 8 m 3 , 9.95×10 8 m 3 and 9.95×10 8 m 3 , as well as 21.77×10 8 m 3 , 13.95×10 8 m 3 , 10.11×10 8 m 3 , 12.50×10 8 m 3 , and 9.74×10 8 m 3 . (2) The water demand of the natural oasis in the Yanqi Basin and the Konqi River Basin was 5.33×10 8 m 3 , and 5.91×10 8 m 3 , respectively. (3) The total water consumption of the artificial oasis in 2013, 2020, and 2030 were 18.16×10 8 m 3 , 17.63×10 8 m 3 and 17.63×10 8 m 3 in the Yanqi Basin, respectively, and 17.11×10 8 m 3 , 16.54×10 8 m 3 and 16.54×10 8 m 3 in the Konqi River Basin, respectively. (4) Under government planning, the optimal area in 2020 and 2030 should be 3198.98 km 2 in the Yanqi Basin oases, and 3858.87 km 2 and 3081.17 km 2 in the Konqi River Basin oases, respectively, under the different inflow variations, and 3129.07 km 2 in the Yanqi Basin oases, and 3834.58 km 2 and 3061.78 km 2 in the konqi River Basin oases, respectively, under the appropriate proportion. (5) The natural and artificial oases in these basins should be greatly decreased in the future due to limited water resources.