Analysis of evolution characteristics of water resources development and utilization in Shaanxi Province based on emergy theory-based water footprint

To address critical water resource challenges in Shaanxi Province, this study integrates emergy analysis with the ecological water footprint (EWF) approach to develop an emergy-based water resources ecological footprint (EEF) model. The framework was employed to quantify the emergy-based ecological footprint, emergy-based carrying capacity, and sustainability status of water resources from 2013 to 2024. Both the EEF and carrying capacity exhibited fluctuating upward trends; however, the carrying capacity consistently remained below the ecological footprint, resulting in a persistent ecological deficit. Agricultural water use dominated the total footprint, accounting for 63.47%, while ecological and environmental water use contributed the smallest share (4.15%). The water resources ecological pressure index exceeded 1.0, indicating a sub-optimal security status, and the ecological-economic coordination index remained below the theoretical optimum of 1.414. These findings underscore that the ecological security of water resources in Shaanxi remains precarious. Enhancing comprehensive water use efficiency represents the principal strategy for advancing sustainable water resource management in the region.