*Article* **Integrated Evaluation of Rivers Based upon the River Happiness Index (RHI): Happy Rivers in China**

**Qianqian Ju, Changshun Liu \* and Shan Jiang**

State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China

**\*** Correspondence: liucs@iwhr.com; Tel.: +86-13621283372

**Abstract:** How to better harmonize the relationship between humans and rivers is a global issue of widespread concern at home and abroad, and science-based and integrated evaluation of rivers themselves is crucial to river management. Based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs and according to the World Happiness Report and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this paper argues that a happy river is a river that can maintain its own health, support high-quality economic and social development in the river basin and the region, reflect harmony between humans and water, and give people in the river basin a high sense of security and the ability to gain and satisfaction. This paper also analyzes happy rivers at five levels, including water security, water resources, water environment, water ecology, and water culture, and develops the River Happiness Index (RHI) and its indicator system, as well as assesses the overall river happiness in China's 10 first-grade water resource zones. The results show that China's RHI is at a medium level, with flood control capacity at a near-good level. On the grounds of the RHI evaluation results, the paper puts forward targeted measures for river basin governance, and provides a systematic solution to national river protection and governance.

**Keywords:** hierarchy of needs; connotation; RHI; indicator system; systematic solution

**Citation:** Ju, Q.; Liu, C.; Jiang, S. Integrated Evaluation of Rivers Based upon the River Happiness Index (RHI): Happy Rivers in China. *Water* **2022**, *14*, 2568. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/w14162568

Academic Editor: Roko Andricevic

Received: 30 June 2022 Accepted: 15 August 2022 Published: 20 August 2022

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**Copyright:** © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).

#### **1. Introduction**

Rivers nurtured material and spiritual civilizations of mankind, as well as played a decisive role in the origin, spread, and development of the world's civilizations [1]. As the ecological health of rivers is closely linked to society, economy and environment, river protection and restoration is a hot area of domestic and international research. What is the relationship between humans and rivers, how to evaluate it, and how to better harmonize the relationship between human and rivers is a global issue of widespread concern at home and abroad.

European and American countries were the first to realize the importance of river governance in the middle of the 20th century. The United States set up the River Restoration Centre in the 1990s [2], which proposed the evaluation criteria for successful ecological restoration of rivers [3]. European countries established the European Centre for River Restoration (ECRR) and carried out a lot of work for river improvement and restoration, such as in the Rhine, the Mississippi, and the Colorado [4–6]. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015, sets the goal of "ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all", calling on countries to take action to protect and restore water-related ecosystems including rivers and lakes.

The Chinese government also attaches great importance to river basin governance and ecological protection and restoration. China fully implemented the river and lake chief system, and achieved initial results in six areas, including water resource conservation, water shoreline management, water pollution control, water environment management, water ecology restoration, and law enforcement [7–10]. On this basis, Beijing voiced

the call to "make the Yellow River a happy river that benefits the people" in September 2019 [11]. The "Happy River" call, which builds itself upon a major national strategy and takes into account the bigger picture, has higher requirements and rich connotations. It is a new direction and requirement for river and lake governance in China, and also the outcome of China's long-standing experience, practices, theories, and techniques in water management. It is not only of special importance to the Yellow River, but also of significant reference value for other river basins [12]. The call is a Chinese approach to the sustainable development agenda and a new path for river governance under the guidance of sustainable development.

Most of the studies on rivers at home and abroad focus on the evaluation of river health [13,14], and the indicators characterizing the health of rivers mainly measure water quality, aquatic life, and water environment. At present, the main methods for river health evaluation are predictive models and multimetrics. Predictive models, such as the River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS) [15] and the Australian River Assessment System (AUSRIVAS) [16], are river status evaluation models that monitor the biodiversity and functionality of river invertebrates. As for multimetrics, the US Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) [17] evaluates river health based on 12 indicators of river fish species, such as richness, diversity, and nutrition types; the Index of Stream Condition (ISCO) [18], developed by the Australian Department of Natural Resources and Environment, evaluates river health and the long-term effectiveness of restoration using 19 specific indicators in five categories, namely hydrology, physical form, riparian zone, water quality, and aquatic life; the UK River Habitat Survey (RHS) [19] evaluates the characteristics and habitat quality of a river by investigating channel data, the type of vegetation structure, riparian zone characteristics, land use, and other indicators based on the physical structure of the river. However, few of the indicators for river health evaluation involve socioeconomic dimensions, and the evaluation criteria can hardly be determined. Based on the concept of river health, the idea of building harmony between humans and water was gradually formed in the research on Chinese river evaluation starting in 2004, which posits that the human-water harmony is a well-coordinated virtuous cycle, and these two systems influence and adapt to each other over time, and jointly promote the overall harmonious development of human-water system [20]. Furthermore, an indicator system following the Health-Development-Harmony (H-D-H) principle was developed to measure the Human–Water Harmony Degree (HWHD) [21] and evaluate the effectiveness of river governance by integrating water resources with economic and social indicators.

Therefore, the objective of this paper is to establish a more integrated river evaluation system and clarify the complex relationship between human happiness and rivers. To this end, based on the existing river evaluation methods, the paper analyzes the happy river from the five levels of security, resources, environment, ecology, and culture, clarifies the scientific connotation of the happy river, develops the River Happiness Index (RHI) and its evaluation system, evaluates the overall situation of river happiness in 10 first-class water resource zones in China, and puts forward suggestions for the popularization and application of the RHI.

#### **2. What Is a Happy River?**

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, humans have five levels of needs, namely physiological needs, security and safety needs, social belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs, ranked from low to high [22]. A happy river is a river for the benefit of the people, which matches the hierarchy of human needs (Table 1).


#### **Table 1.** Hierarchical framework of a happy river.

In the light of factors influencing and measuring human happiness in the first World Happiness Report [23] released by the United Nations in 2012, the definition of a happy river, which is "a river that can maintain its own health, support high-quality economic and social development in the river basin and the region, reflect harmony between human and water and give people in the river basin a high sense of security, gain and satisfaction", imposes stricter and more requirements on rivers [24]. A happy river is a river that meets the five needs of the people, including flood security, quality water resources, livable water environment, healthy water ecology, and advanced water culture, as well as achieves the unity of security, prosperity, livability, ecology, and culture [25,26].

In 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit officially adopted *Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development* [27]. The agenda is composed of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) and 169 targets, among which Goals 6, 9, 11, 13, and 15 are related to rivers (Table 2). As an integrated program for sustainable development in the area of river protection and restoration, the happy river indicator system is essentially consistent with the agenda.

Based on natural conditions and human needs, rivers that make humans happy should be people-centered and observe the concept of respecting, living in harmony with, and protecting nature; in other words, these rivers can maintain their own health, support highquality economic and social development in corresponding river basins, reflect harmony between humans and water, and give people a high sense of security, gain, and satisfaction. The RHI evaluation system is more integrated than previous river evaluation indicators and theoretically innovative.


**Table 2.** A comparison between happy river indicators and the SDGs.

### **3. Materials and Methods**

Figure 1 shows the calculation process of the River Happiness Index evaluation system.

### *3.1. Indicator System*

A happy river is a river of security, prosperity, livability, ecology, and culture. Hence, this paper develops evaluation indicators from these five perspectives to give a more complete and accurate evaluation of rivers, and proposes state indicators that characterize human experience of happiness and river health, as well as indicators of capacity for achieving or maintaining a good state (Figure 2).


river of livabil-

river of ecology

A river of culture

ity Goal 6.

Goal 15.

river of prosperity

> condition of water resources and the availability of water resources; indicators such as Capacity for Supporting high-quality Development (CSD) and the Life Satisfaction Index (LSI) are selected to characterize the extent to which development and happiness are constrained by water resources. treated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. Goal 6. 6.6 Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and lakes. 15.1 Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland

6.4 Substantially increase water use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially re-

6.5 Substantially increase water use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially re-

6.3 Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of un-

*Water* **2022**, *14*, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 20

duce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.

duce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.

	- 5. Water Culture Prosperity (WCP): WCP means the extent to which water culture is promoted. In line with the vision of "a spiritual homeland with river civilizations", WCP is characterized by capacity indicators, such as the water Culture Protection and inheritance Index (CPI) and the Modern water culture Creation and Innovation Index (MCI), as well as human experience indicators, such as the Water Landscape impact Index (WLI) and Public Awareness and Engagement in water governance (PAE). satisfaction. The RHI evaluation system is more integrated than previous river evaluation indicators and theoretically innovative. **3. Materials and Methods** Figure 1 shows the calculation process of the River Happiness Index evaluation system.

**Figure 1.** Flowchart of the RHI evaluation system. **Figure 1.** Flowchart of the RHI evaluation system.

In summary, indicators in the five dimensions, such as water security, water resources, water environment, water ecology, and water culture are broken down into 20 secondlevel indicators and 18 third-level indicators. See Table 3 for the framework of the RHI indicator system.

ing or maintaining a good state (Figure *2*).

**Figure 2.** Framework of the RHI. **Figure 2.** Framework of the RHI.

#### 1. Flood Control Capacity (FCC): FCC means the extent to which water disasters are *3.2. Assessment Criteria*

*3.1. Indicator System*

prevented and controlled. In line with the vision of "a peaceful life with secure rivers", FCC is characterized by state indicators, such as Flood-induced Mortality Rate (FMR), Economic Loss Rate (ELR), and engineering and management capacity indicators, such as Rate of flood control Works with Accepted capacity (RWA) and post-Disaster Recovery Capability (DRC). The River Happiness Index (*RHI*) is an integrated index that reflects the capacity and level of rivers and lakes to stay in good condition, meet human needs, or provide services, and is specifically measured by five indicators, namely water security, water resources, water environment, water ecology, and water culture. The *RHI* is calculated through the following formulas:

A happy river is a river of security, prosperity, livability, ecology, and culture. Hence, this paper develops evaluation indicators from these five perspectives to give a more complete and accurate evaluation of rivers, and proposes state indicators that characterize human experience of happiness and river health, as well as indicators of capacity for achiev-

$$RHI = \sum\_{i=1}^{5} F\_i w\_i^f \tag{1}$$

$$F\_i = \sum\_{j=1}^{4} S\_{i,j} w\_{i,j}^s \tag{2}$$

$$S\_{i,j} = \sum\_{k=1}^{K} T\_{i,j,k} w\_{i,j,k}^t \tag{3}$$

3. Water Environment Livability (WEL): WEL refers to the degree of protection and improvement of the water environment of natural rivers and lakes in urban and rural areas. In line with the vision of "a livable environment with clear waters and green banks", WEL is characterized by state indicators, such as the Water Quality Index (WQI), Qualification rate of surface centralized Drinking water Source (QDS), and the Groundwater Protection Index (GPI), and experience indicators, such as the Water Entertainment Index (WEI). 4. Aquatic Ecosystem Health (AEH): AEH refers to the extent to which the health of river ecosystems is maintained and the quality and stability of river ecosystems is improved. Given the vision of "a symbiotic harmony with fish swimming in shalwhere, *RHI* means River Happiness Index; *F<sup>i</sup>* is the score of the first-level indicator *i*, *i* is the subscript of the first-level indicator, which ranges from 1 to 5, indicating FCC, WRR, WEL, AEH, and WCP, respectively; *w f i* is the weight of the first-level indicator *i*; *Si,j* is the score of the second-level indicator *j* of the first-level indicator *i*, *j* is the subscript of the second-level indicator, which ranges from 1 to 4; *w S i*,*j* is the weight of the second-level indicator *j* of the first-level indicator *i*; *Ti,j,k* is the score of the third-level indicator *k* of the second-level indicator *j* of the first-level indicator *i*, and *k* is the subscript of the third-level indicator, which ranges from 1 to *K*; and *w t i*,*j*,*k* is the weight of the third-level indicator *k* of the second-level indicator *j* of the first-level indicator *i*.

lows", shrinking rivers and lakes, wetland degradation and biodiversity decline remain weak links. In this sense, AEH is characterized by indicators, such as the Rate of major rivers and lakes with accepted Ecological Flow (REF), Natural aquatic Hab-The RHI is scored on a 100-point scale. A RHI score of 85 points or above indicates a "happy river/lake" (Table 4). If indicators at all levels score 85 points or above, then a river/lake is in a good state (Table 5).

itat Retention rate (NHR), Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), and Soil and Water Conservation rate (SWC) in terms of flow, habitat, biology and land area, respectively. 5. Water Culture Prosperity (WCP): WCP means the extent to which water culture is promoted. In line with the vision of "a spiritual homeland with river civilizations", WCP is characterized by capacity indicators, such as the water Culture Protection


#### **Table 3.** Indicator system of the RHI.


**Table 4.** Grading standard for the *RHI*.

**Table 5.** Grading standard for evaluation indicators of the RHI.


\* *V* indicates *F<sup>i</sup>* , *Si,j* or *Ti,j,k.*

#### *3.3. Indicator Weight Calculation and Evaluation Method*

The evaluation method involves five steps:


### *3.4. Data*

With 2019 selected as the research year, this paper studies China's 10 first-grade water resource zones, including the Songhua River, the Liaohe River, the Haihe River, the Yellow River, the Huaihe River, the Yangtze River, the Taihu Lake, southeastern rivers, the Pearl River, southwestern rivers, and northwestern rivers, and calculates the values of the indicators by reference to relevant statistical yearbooks, field survey data, and plans (Table 7).


**Table 6.** Weights of first-level and second-level indicators of the RHI.

#### **Table 7.** Indicator calculation methods and sources of data.



**Table 7.** *Cont.*
