Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission Meeting the Needs - Keeping the Balance Meeting the Needs - Keeping the Balance

MRC Water Utilization Programme:MRC Water Utilization Programme:GEF International Waters ProjectGEF International Waters Project

(GEF/World Bank) (GEF/World Bank)

Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission Meeting the Needs - Keeping the Balance Meeting the Needs - Keeping the Balance

MRC Water Utilization Programme:MRC Water Utilization Programme:GEF International Waters ProjectGEF International Waters Project

(GEF/World Bank) (GEF/World Bank)

Potentials and Potentials and ChallengeChallenge

Potentials and Potentials and ChallengeChallenge

At 4,800km long, Mekong is one of the world’s longest riverslongest rivers.

Basin supports one of the most productive and diverse freshwater ecosystemsecosystems.

Least spoiled & least developed, and potential for development is far from utilized.

Only four countries are members. Total populationpopulation living in the

Lower Mekong Basin is at present 60 million people => 100 million by 2025.

Average flow = 15,000 m3/s, but not evenly distributed.

Majority of them living below poverty line.

Issues to be addressed by Issues to be addressed by WUPWUP

Issues to be addressed by Issues to be addressed by WUPWUP

1995 Mekong Agreement to address two most important issues:– water sharing/maintenance of agreed flow level; and– Environment protection and the ecological balance.

Other related issues:– Change of flow regime/quality;– sea water intrusion,– impact on navigation;– Growing demand for water/energy and inter-basin

diversion,– Degradation of aquatic ecosystem (fish)– Inadequate knowledge of river basin behavior and

water quality conditions.

How Issues/challenges are How Issues/challenges are addressedaddressed

How Issues/challenges are How Issues/challenges are addressedaddressed

WUP broad objective: set up a mechanism to implement 1995 agreement by:

Facilitating agreements among countries on required set of rules/agreements;

Developing a modeling package and knowledge base for supporting learnt decision-making;

Capacity building and technical collaboration with upstream countries;

Ensuring ownership and participation.

Progress to dateProgress to dateProgress to dateProgress to dateRules:

– Data sharing and exchange agreement signed in November 2001;

– Procedures for Implementing “equitable and reasonable use” to be signed later this year,

– By 2005 = three more rules on water use monitoring, maintenance of water quantity, and quality.

Progress to date Progress to date (Cont.)(Cont.)

Progress to date Progress to date (Cont.)(Cont.)

Development of Decision Support Framework, and Training of trainers and end users in progress – July 03.

Progress toward Flow Management.

Decision Support Framework

Proposed development scenarios

Validated Planning

Data Hydrological model

Basin simulation model

Rules for Water

Utilisation

Impact Analysis Tools

Knowledge Base

Planning assessments

Assessment Framework

Hydrodynamic & salintiy models

Environment Assessment

Socio-economic

MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management

The EP and WUP have developed a 3 phase approach to flow guidelines

Phase 1 – An interim flow plan to prevent deterioration in the short term

Phase 2 – A field based comprehensive flow plan

Phase 3 – Evaluation of proposed interventions

MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management

Interim Flow Plan

Based on existing knowledge Using an expert panel approach Deliberately conservative It will protect “bottom lines”

MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management

Interim Flow Plan

Main difficulties :

Collating the existing knowledge

Identifying the “bottom lines”

MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management

Comprehensive Flow Plan

Based on field assessments and flow modeling

Intended to allow prediction of ecological and subsistence consequences of flow changes

Vegetation zones linked to flood-Vegetation zones linked to flood-return periods return periods

Vegetation zones linked to flood-Vegetation zones linked to flood-return periods return periods

Back Dynamic

Tree -Shrub

Lower Dynamic

Upper

lower Wet Bank

Aquatic

580

300200120

400

8050

Q

1:20

1:2

IV

II, III

wslfI

dslf

MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management

Comprehensive Flow Plan

Main difficulties

Results will provide information to decision makers – but not make the decision

Can we effectively model flow over the Cambodian floodplains?

Flow (discharge) Flow (discharge) is measured as is measured as velocity x cross velocity x cross sectional area – sectional area – but cross section but cross section area is difficult to area is difficult to measure where measure where

the river is 50 km the river is 50 km wide!wide!

Flow (discharge) Flow (discharge) is measured as is measured as velocity x cross velocity x cross sectional area – sectional area – but cross section but cross section area is difficult to area is difficult to measure where measure where

the river is 50 km the river is 50 km wide!wide!

MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management MRC and Flow Management

Assessment of Interventions

This will involve cooperation between BDP, WUP and EP

EPEcological & Subsistence Consequences

BDPNational/ Regional

Macroeconomic

Assessment:

(Hydropower, Irrigation,

Forestry, Fisheries, Other

BDPOther stakeholders

Decision Makers

Proposed Interventions BDP

Options

WUPConsequences :

Water Quantity & Quality

Define Scope

MRC and Flow MRC and Flow ManagementManagement

meeting the needsmeeting the needs

maintaining the maintaining the balancebalance

MRC and Flow MRC and Flow ManagementManagement

meeting the needsmeeting the needs

maintaining the maintaining the balancebalance