Cross-County Characteristics of Water–Ecology–Economy Coupling Coordination in the Wuding River Watershed, China

Investigating the coupling coordination relationship between water resources, ecology and the economy is the basis process for watershed governing to achieve sustainable development. Taking the Wuding River watershed (one of the largest tributaries of the Yellow River) as an example, we used the coupling coordination model to analyze the coupling coordination relationship of the water–ecology–economy system between 2001 and 2020, and then used grey correlation and partial correlation analyses to explore the main influencing factors and cross-county characteristic of the coupling coordination. The results show that the water, ecology and economy subsystems changed slightly before 2007. After 2007, the economy developed rapidly, while the water and ecology increased for a short time and then decreased after 2013. The water–ecology–economy coupling coordination was on the verge of dysfunctional decline. Water and ecology were the main influencing factors on the coupling coordination. The coupling coordination showed a cross-county characteristic. Water and ecology in upstream counties had significant positive correlations with the coupling coordination in downstream counties. The economy subsystem in upstream counties, however, had significant negative correlations with water and ecology in downstream counties. Our findings provide an empirical mode to measure transregional characteristics of coupling coordination and could support the construction of a coordination governance mode in the Wuding River watershed.