January-March
Issue 2007/1
Mekong News
T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E M E K O N G R I V E R C O M M I S S I O N
Council approves new MRC programmes
wo new MRC programmes got the
heard of a likely commitment by
T green light from the MRC Council
Belgium to support the newly
at its 13th Meeting held in Ho Chi
formulated Drought Management
Minh City on 12 December 2006.
Programme or a Hydropower
Programme.
MRC Council members said that it was
time the MRC took a leading role in
This meeting was also a first step in
drought management at a regional scale
incorporating development banks into
and the new Drought Management
fuller participation. Representatives
Programme would address this.
from the World Bank and the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) spoke as
Council also approved the Information
participants for the first time at a
and Knowledge Management
Council meeting.
Programme (IKMP) for fundraising.
The IKMP is an expansion of the work
Dr Cao Duc Phat said Council
performed by the MRC Technical
Council members, country delegates, donors and partners at the 13th Council Meeting.
recognised the effort made by the MRC
Support Division and covers all data
Secretariat in engaging with the banks
The WUP extension is primarily
be in full swing and there would be
management activities including the
for joint activities such as the World
intended to build national capacity in
increased integration of programme
MRC Portal.
Bank and ADB's Mekong Water
the implementation of the Decision
work within the MRC Secretariat.
Resources Partnership and the ADB's
Other business discussed included the
Support Framework (DSF) modelling
"The MRC has established a firm
Greater Mekong Subregion Programme
launch of Phase 2 of the Basin
software and the technical guidelines
direction to work toward coordinated
(GMS).
Development Plan (BDP2) and an
for the Procedures for Maintenance of
sustainable development of the
extension to the Water Utilisation
Flows on the Mainstream and the
The meeting heard that very successful
Mekong River and its associated
Programme (WUP).
Procedures for Water Quality, as well
fundraising efforts by the MRC
resources and this is underlined in the
Secretariat in recent years had ensured
BDP2 will see the preparation of a
as continuing discussions on these
Strategic Plan," he said.
the MRC's financial status was sound
rolling Integrated Water Resources
guidelines and maintaining the DSF
"By adopting an integrated water
and that increasing contributions from
Management-based Basin
applications.
resources management approach to our
the Member States had moved it well
Development Plan; the identification
H.E. Dr Cao Duc Phat, MRC Council
work we are anticipating a more
along the path to increased
and short listing of a portfolio of
Chairman for 2006-2007, Minister of
efficient and productive working
riparianisation and country ownership.
programmes and projects; better
Agriculture and Rural Development
environment which will bring about
assessment tools; an improved
and Chairman of Viet Nam National
There was also discussion among
tangible results in our countries."
knowledge base; and enhanced
Mekong Committee, said 2007 would
donors and the Member States on the
capacity for planning and enhancement
be an exciting year for the MRC. The
At the 11th Donor Consultative Group,
preliminary findings of an MRC
of regional cooperation.
new Strategic Plan 2006-2010 would
held on 14 December 2006, donors
organisational review.
Invertebrate guide adds to MRC knowledge base
cientists working in the Lower
dolphin and the Mekong giant catfish,
S Mekong Basin now have a
in fact the bulk of the river's animal
valuable new tool to help them
life comprises innumerable types of
identify river organisms for their
worms, snails, beetles, crabs, spiders
research or biomonitring work.
and other bugs, which biologists
The MRC's Environment Programme
group collectively as invertebrates.
has produced a new publication ­ A
While there is literature that covers
Guide to the Identification of the
fauna of the Lower Mekong Basin
Invertebrate Fauna of the Mekong ­
countries, there has been nothing
which sets about filling an important
which specifically catalogues or
gap in biological bibliography.
describes the fauna of the Mekong in
While everyone is familiar with the
detail and provides zoologists with
more prominent creatures in the
the detailed information they need to
Mekong, such as the Irrawaddy
identify invertebrates accurately.
Continued page 2
Dr Narumon Sangpradub (right) and Mr Boonsatien Boonsoong work on the guide.
INSIDE
Roads and floods to exist in harmony
Denmark, Finland boost support for MRC
Countries outline navigation needs
25th Meeting of the MRC Joint Committee, Siem Reap, Cambodia 9-10 May, 2007
For information about the MRC please contact: Tel: 856 21 263 263 Email: mrcs@mrcmekong.org Website: www.mrcmekong.org

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Roads and floods to exist in harmony
he Mekong River Commission
The policy component will translate
T has joined forces with the Delft
the findings of the scientific
Cluster, UNESCO-IHE, and the
component into policy
World Wide Fund for Nature to
recommendations and ensure that
develop guidelines for the planning
those recommendations are known
and design of roads in the floodplains
and understood by the key
of the Lower Mekong Basin.
stakeholders. Line agencies and
Heavy floods can severely damage
development bank representatives in
infrastructure, including roads, but,
Cambodia and Viet Nam, led by the
road development can also have a
respective National Mekong
considerable effect on the floods.
Committee, will discuss the political
Roads can fragment wetlands and
and institutional recommendations.
interrupt the natural flow of water,
The integration component will
sediments, nutrients and aquatic life,
ensure that results are made available
and consequently have an impact on
to the FMMP's Regional Flood
the benefits brought by the natural
Roads and other structures can sometimes form artificial barriers to flood waters.
Management and Mitigation Centre in
flood cycle.
work of the MRC's Flood
inundation model and damage
Phnom Penh and that they are
The challenge is to make future road
Management and Mitigation
assessment.
accessible to others.
structures more flood-resistant and
Programme (FMMP).
The findings at the pilot sites will be
The project results will benefit
provide greater through-flow capacity
The project consists of three strongly
scaled-up to sub-floodplain areas to
Cambodian and Vietnamese line
while reducing their negative
interrelated components ­ a scientific
analyse road and flood interactions,
agencies, the National ministries and
environmental impacts.
component, a policy component and
using the inundation model.
provincial authorities responsible for
The "Roads and Floods" project is
integration with the FMMP.
planning, construction and
In some cases, there will be analysis of
developing guidelines for better
maintenance of national roads, as well
The scientific component consists of
the interaction and trade-off between
planning and road design. These
as development banks that fund
several technical analyses that are
flood risk and damage, along with the
guidelines are meant to define (or
infrastructure projects. The results of
integrated into a policy analysis. In
structural durability, economic and
redefine) new standards for the
the "Roads and Floods" project will
the technical analyses, hydraulics and
financial efficiency, and hydrological
planning, design and construction of
also be shared with agencies in Lao
damage at pilot sites in Cambodia and
and environmental effects. This will
roads and to develop environmental
PDR and Thailand.
Viet Nam will be monitored and
form the basis for recommendations to
impact assessment methodologies.
analysed during the 2006 and 2007
improve guidelines for road planning
(Information for this article was sourced
The results will be integrated into the
flood seasons, providing input for an
and design.
fromUNESCO-IHEs newsletter)
Invertebrates...
MRC shares hydropower
ideas at energy conference
From page 1
In order to rectify this problem the
istorically hydropower
MRC's Environment Programme
Hdevelopment has always been
commissioned biologists from the
high on the MRC agenda, MRCS
Khon Kaen University, Thailand to
CEO Dr Olivier Cogels told the
produce a guide to the identification
International Symposium on Water
of the invertebrate fauna of the
Resources and Renewable Energy
Mekong. The work was undertaken
Development in Asia conference held
by Dr Narumon Sangpradub, an
in Bangkok in December 2006.
associate professor in the Department
of Biology, and her colleague Mr
However, he explained, this
Boonsatien Boonsoong who is a PhD
development had to be well co-
student in the department.
ordinated, equitable, peaceful,
carefully planned, and must minimise
The guide, which took a year and a
social and environmental impacts.
half to compile, was tested in the
The guide features detailed line drawings
Most importantly, it must be for the
Posters showed how development can
Member States before it was finalised. of specimens such as this water mite.
benefit of all of the people of the
co-exist with a healthy enviornment.
The new guide is intended for
are secondary hosts to other
basin, especially the poorest.
The aim is to engage the hydropower
laboratory use and contains a series
pathogens.
MRC was well represented at the
industry, the governments of the GMS
of "identification keys" and over 300
From the development perspective,
conference and accompanying
countries and international and local
line drawings that will provide a
invertebrates are one of the groups of
exhibition and presented papers
stakeholders to improve planning
practical tool for biologists from
animals and plants that can be used to
covering the potential and existing
frameworks for hydropower so that
throughout the region to use in their
help monitor the ecological health of
situation of hydropower development
the manifold benefits will outweigh
research. It will also help to ensure
the river systems. Their widespread
in the Lower Mekong Basin,
any negative impacts. The partners
that biomointoring activities in the
distribution, relatively long life (ie
hydrological studies in an
believe that a more integrated
Lower Mekong Basin are based on
months to years) and sensitivity to
international river basin and current
approach in the planning process will
accurate identification of diagnostic
environmental stresses means that
flood forecasting methods and
assist GMS countries in
invertebrate animals.
they can be used to observe overall
improvements needed.
environmentally sustainable planning
Invertebrates play an important role
condition over a broad range of
for future development of
The exhibition also provided an
in the lives and livelihoods of the
aquatic habitats.
hydropower resources and advance
opportunity to introduce a new joint
people of the Lower Mekong Basin.
the capacity to balance economic,
The publication is part of the MRC's
initiative being undertaken by the The
They are a vital source of food,
social and environmental dimensions
commitment to build a knowledge
Asian Development Bank, the MRC
particularly of animal protein, and
in the interests of sustainable
base on the biology and ecology of
and the World Wide Fund for Nature
form a significant portion of the
development.
the Mekong and to develop tools for
Living Mekong Programme. The
Mekong's prodigious fishery.
monitoring the environmental health
three bodies have formed a taskforce
It will also help the hydropower
On the downside, some invertebrates,
of the river system. The guide was
to assess the needs and demands for
industry by helping to identify which
such as blood flukes and tapeworms,
published with financial assistance
Environmental Criteria for
projects would have the least impacts,
are harmful parasites that infect
from UNDP and the governments of
Hydropower Development in the
and which sites could provide the best
humans and livestock, while others
Denmark and Sweden.
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
development opportunities.

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Denmark provides new funding for BDP2 and EP
On 6 December 2006 the Mekong
promote a portfolio of programmes
River Commission and the
and projects to be implemented in
Government of the Kingdom of
Member States in a coordinated way.
Denmark signed an agreement worth
The EP will use the Danish funds to
52.5 million Danish Kroner (around
expand its work in providing data on
$US9 million) to fund the second
the status of changes in water
phase of the MRC's Basin
sediment quality, aquatic ecosystems
Development Plan (BDP2) and to
and social and economic conditions.
continue the work of the Environment
It will establish an appropriate
Programme.
basinwide environmental monitoring
The new funding agreement was
system and continue its work toward
signed by H.E. Mr Peter Lysholt
H.E. Mr Peter Lysholt Hansen (left) and Dr Olivier Cogels sign the agreement.
encouraging joint and sustainable
Hansen, Ambassador of Denmark to
development, thus avoiding any
Viet Nam and Dr Olivier Cogels,
The BDP2 programme will formulate
BDP's established knowledge base
transboundary issues. It will also
Chief Executive Officer MRC
a joint development rolling plan
and its assessment tools and see these
develop a methodology for
Secretariat at the MRC Secretariat
which takes a basin wide perspective
used effectively both within the MRC
environmental flows assessment in
headquarters in Vientiane. Under the
of shared water and related resources
and the National Mekong Committees
the Mekong River basin and provide
terms of the grant 45 million Danish
and aims to manage and develop
(NMCs).
scientific data and information on the
Kroner will go to the BDP2, while
them in an integrated, sustainable and
It will build capacity at MRC and
relationship between flow regimes
7.5 million will go to the MRC's
equitable manner for the mutual
NMC levels for integrated water
(quantity and quality) and
Environment Programme. The grant
benefit of the member countries.
resources management (IWRM)
environmental assets in the Mekong
will extend to 2010.
BDP2 will also further develop the
planning and develop, prioritise and
River Basin.
Finland supports basin planning through IKMP
The MRC and the Government of
IKMP, with specific emphasis on its
integrated MRC-IS databases, and the
Finland have signed an agreement
relation to basin development
capacity to analyse and interpret data.
worth Euro 6,728, 010 (US$8.679
planning.
One of the IKMP's most powerful
million) to support basin development
The IKMP is designed to facilitate
modelling tools is the Decision
planning through the MRC's new
access to and use of the data,
Support Framework, which can
Information and Knowledge
information and decision support
provide the MRC with the capability
Management Programme (IKMP).
tools necessary to promote and co-
to investigate environmental and
The new funding agreement, which
ordinate sustainable development of
socio-economic impacts of changes in
will be spread over four years, was
water and related resources in the
the quantity and the quality of flows
signed by H.E. Lars Backstrom,
Mekong Basin.
in the Lower Mekong river system,
Ambassador of Finland to Thailand,
It incorporates exchange and sharing
brought about by changing
Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar
of data on water resources, hydrology
circumstances within the basin.
and Dr Olivier Cogels, CEO MRCS
and meteorology as well as all other
This type of basin planning is
at the Secretariat in Vientiane on
resources required to implement the
essential if the MRC's Member States
8 February 2007.
work of the MRC's programmes, such
are to make informed decisions about
H.E. Mr Backstrom (left), H.E. Ms Marjatta Rasi,
This agreement aims to support the
as management of high quality and
sustainable development.
Finnish Under Secretary of State and Dr Cogels.
I n f o r m a t i o n p r o d u c t s
Also available as free downloads
on www.mrcmekong.org
Identification of Freshwater
Biomonitoring of the Lower
Fish Migration Triggers in the
Catch & Culture
Invertebrates of the Mekong and its
Mekong River and Selected
Lower Mekong Basin and other
2006 Issue 12/3
Tributaries
Tributaries
freshwater tropical systems
The latest issue of the
MRC Technical Paper
MRC Technical Paper
This textbook has been
Fisheries Programme
No 13
No 14
designed as an
Newsletter includes
This report documents
This report includes a
identification guide for
stories on an
the findings of field
review of published
use by scientists and
innovative policing
work which examines
information on fish
students working in the
method to protect the
species composition
migration triggers in
laboratory. It contains
Mekong dolphin, two
and variability at 20
the Mekong and other
detailed drawings and
successful breeding programmes for
sites across the Lower Mekong Basin
tropical systems and quantitive
information on the invertebrates of the
an indigenous Mekong fish species,
and identifies those physical and
analysis of environmental triggers in
Mekong and its tributaries which will
why some Vietnamese farmers are
chemical factors that most strongly
the Mekong.
make identification of these organisms
turning back to a rice/shrimp
correlate with variations in these
easier and more consistent.
combination and the new fishing laws
biological communities.
January 2007 US$5.00 (plus postage)
in Cambodia.
December 2006 US$25.00
January 2007. US$5.00 (plus postage)
CD US$5 (both plus postage)
For access to the latest reports
December 2006.
and research on development
Free (postage applies)
issues visit www.mekonginfo.org
How to order
Contact
All products can be ordered from the MRC Secretariat's Documentation Centre.
Documentation Centre
Postage costs apply. Mekong region government agencies may write to the MRC
Mekong River Commission Secretariat
to obtain free copies.
P.O. Box 6101, 184 Fa Ngoum Road, Unit 18, Ban Sithane Neua,
Check the MRC website for a full list of products. Credit card sales are also
Sikhottabong District, Vientiane 01000, Lao PDR
available through the website, www.mrcmekong.org.
Phone: (856 21) 263 263 ext: 1122 Fax: (856 21) 263 264
All products are also available as free downloads from the MRC website.
Email: doc.centre@mrcmekong.org Website: www.mrcmekong.org

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Fisheries films
Navigation priorities on the table
bring Mekong's
he MRC Navigation Programme
T (NAP) commenced work in 2006
richness to life
and is now ready to put its planned
programme activities into action.
The NAP's first challenge is to try to
The MRC's Fisheries Programme is
fulfil some of the long awaited plans
well known for its excellent
of the Member States and in order to
communications products ­ many of
achieve this, during January 2006, it
which are produced in riparian
held four National Workshops in each
languages.
Member State on the Navigation
Now it has moved into the medium of
Implementation Plan and Project
movies to spread the word about the
Appraisal and Identification. These
importance of the Mekong fisheries
workshops were designed to find out
and the work of the MRC to maintain
what member countries have decided
them.
Participants discuss their priority needs for navigation at the meeting in Vientiane.
are their navigational priorities and
A new documentary ­ The Mekong
how the NAP can help them.
One of the NAP's first steps is the
The first buoy is due to be placed in
Delta: Fish, Farms and Families ­
Based on these priorities and based
implementation of its project on
early April and the project is expected
produced by the Research Institute for
on how they fit in with the original
"Procurement, Installation and
to finish at the end of 2007.
Aquaculture No 2 (RIA2) in Ho Chi
NAP Activities, the final projects will
Training on Aids to Navigation on the
The NAP is a US$22 million
Minh City in 2006 takes a close look
be identified and approved during the
Mekong River between Phnom Penh
programme which is currently funded
Regional Workshop which will be
Port and the Cambodia-Viet Nam
to the amount of US$ 6 million by the
held on 26-27 March 2007.
Border".
Belgian Government.
Warnings the theme of 5th Flood Forum
he MRC's Regional Flood
Representatives from the MRC's four
Other topics will include data and
T Management and Mitigation
Member States will each present a
information requirements for
Centre (RFMMC) will conduct the
report on how their countries fared in
emergency management, relief and
5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum
the 2006 Flood Season and the
reconstruction. This forum will give
from 17-18 May 2007 at the Rex
lessons they learned and there will be
ample time for in-depth debate and
Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
presentations on the flood experience
the organisers are anticipating some
The theme for this year's forum is:
in the Mekong Basin from MRC's
innovative solutions and suggestions.
"Improving Inputs towards Medium-
Dialogue Partners, China and
Participants will come from
term Flood Forecasting and Early
Myanmar.
Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Viet
Warning in the Mekong Basin". This
There will be group discussion
Nam, China, Myanmar, MRC
reflects the MRC's Strategic Plan
sessions on MRC plans for new short
Programmes, donor agencies, the
at fish resources of the Mekong Delta,
2006-2010 which states that a key
and medium term forecasting systems
scientific and international
as well as aquaculture and breeding
challenge of the RFMMC is to
at the RFMMC and what it will take
community, international and national
programmes being undertaken by the
improve data collection and
to make these more efficient. In
civil society organisations, companies
Vietnamese Department of Fisheries.
information exchange among the
particular, these talks will focus on
and local communities.
The film, which has already been
riparian countries and the MRC, as
data inputs in several areas of
shown on Vietnamese television, has
well as with other users or donors.
meteorology and weather, in water
Contact:Bob Pengel,
been produced in Vietnamese and
Tel: (855)-23-726-622; Ext: 1012
The Forum aims to raise the
levels, in effective early warning and
English and can be ordered from the
amff5@mrcmekong.org
awareness of the current state of data
in flood preparedness.
Fisheries Programme or RIA2.
collection, transmission and exchange
Similar films on the fisheries of
(especially, water level and rainfall) at
CALL FOR PAPERS, EXHIBITORS
Thailand and Lao PDR have also been
the national and regional levels in the
undertaken over the past year and are
Mekong Basin.
A call for papers both from member countries and others and a
now in their final stages of production.
It will also provide participants with
paper submission form can be downloaded from the MRC website
They will be available soon.
the opportunity to discuss the
http://www.mrcmekong.org/MRC_news/upcoming_events.
The documentary on the Cambodian
database systems and tools used for
Organisations, companies, or institutions are invited to exhibit
fishery Where There's Water There's
dissemination of the flood forecasting
their activities, or products at an exhibition which will accompany
Fish was completed in 2003 and was
and early warning products that are
the 5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum. The registration form
produced in English and Khmer. It has
produced by the MRC-RFMMC and
for participation in the exhibition can be also downloaded from
proved to be very popular and has
the National Centres of the MRC
the MRC website.
been shown many times on
Member States.
Cambodian television channels.
Upcoming events
25th Meeting of the MRC Joint Committee
International Network of River Basin Organisations 7th World General Assembly
9-10 May, Siem Reap, Cambodia
7-9 June 2007, Debrecen, Hungary
Email: schiefer@mrcmekong.org
Email: inbo@wanadoo.fr
The International Conference on Water and Flood Management
2nd IASTED International Conference on Water Resources Management
12-14 March 2007 Dhaka, Bangladesh
20-22 August 2007, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
www.buet.ac.bd/icwfm/
http://www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1375.shtml
Fifth Annual Mekong Flood Forum
World Water Week
17-18 May 2007, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
12-18 August, 2007, Stockholm, Sweden
Email: amff5@mrcmekong.org
www.worldwaterweek.org
River Basin Management 2007 Conference
Mekong News is published quarterly by the Mekong River Commission
23-25 May 2007, Kos, Greece
Secretariat in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Please send comments, queries and ideas to the
http://www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1389.shtml
Communications Officer, Phone: (856-21) 263 263 ext. 4703 Fax: (856-21) 263 264
Email: virginia@mrcmekong.org

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