Comparison and Prediction of the Ecological Footprint of Water Resources in the Nine Cities and States of Guizhou Province

Abstract The study of the ecological footprints of urban water resources is of great significance for sustainable urban development and water resource management. To study the scientific utilization of urban water resources, the water resources of the nine cities and states in Guizhou Province were analyzed from 2013 to 2022 based on the water resources ecological footprint model, the water resources ecological carrying capacity model, and the water resources sustainable utilization evaluation indices. This allowed for a comparison of the regional water resource use status and prediction of the water resources ecological footprints of Guizhou Province from 2023 to 2027 using the long short-term memory (LSTM) model. The results showed that: (1) the ecological footprint of production water use in the nine cities and states of Guizhou Province had fluctuated slightly in the past decade, while both the ecological water use and domestic water use had rapidly risen after 2017. (2) The ecological carrying capacities of the nine cities and states in Guizhou Province were divided into three levels. The three cities at the highest level and with the relatively highest ecological carrying capacities fluctuated the most, and several other cities and states fluctuated less. (3) The nine cities and states in Guizhou Province were in ecological surplus, the pressure indices were all in a safe state, and the fluctuations were relatively smooth, except for in Guiyang City, where the pressure index was relatively high, and the other pressure indices were very small. (4) With economic development, the ecological footprint of water resources per capita of 10,000-yuan gross domestic product (GDP) in Guizhou Province showed a decreasing trend, indicating an improvement in the efficiency of water resource utilization. This study of the ecological footprint of urban water resources helps to realize urban development sustainability, promote effective water resource management, and protect aquatic environments. This study has important implications for the long-term prosperity of cities and the quality of life of residents.