Mekong River Commission Meeting the Needs - Keeping the Balance MRC Water Utilization Programme: GEF International Waters Project (GEF/World Bank)

Potentials and Challenge longest rivers At 4,800km long, Mekong is one of the world ’ s longest rivers. ecosystems Basin supports one of the most productive and diverse freshwater ecosystems. Least spoiled & least developed, and potential for development is far from utilized. Only four countries are members. population Total population living in the Lower Mekong Basin is at present 60 million people => 100 million by Average flow = 15,000 m3/s, but not evenly distributed. Majority of them living below poverty line.

Issues to be addressed by WUP 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 addressed 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 date Rules: – 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 (Cont.) Development of Decision Support Framework, and Training of trainers and end users in progress – July 03. Progress toward 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 Interim Flow Plan Based on existing knowledge Using an expert panel approach Deliberately conservative It will protect “ bottom lines ”

MRC and Flow Management Interim Flow Plan Main difficulties : Collating the existing knowledge Identifying the “ bottom lines ”

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- return periods Back Dynamic Tree -Shrub Lower Dynamic Upper lower Wet Bank Aquatic Q 1:20 1:2 IV II, III wslfI dslf

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) is measured as velocity x cross sectional area – but cross section area is difficult to measure where the river is 50 km wide!

MRC and Flow Management Assessment of Interventions This will involve cooperation between BDP, WUP and EP

EP Ecological & Subsistence Consequences BDP National/ Regional Macroeconomic Assessment: (Hydropower, Irrigation, Forestry, Fisheries, Other BDP Other stakeholders Decision Makers Proposed Interventions BDP Options WUP Consequences : Water Quantity & Quality Define Scope

MRC and Flow Management meeting the needs maintaining the balance