Mekong News
January-March
Issue 2008/1
The NewsleTTer of The MekoNg river coMMissioN
Mekong stakeholders discuss basin planning
A wide range of interested groups con-
into the sea unused. This means there is
verged on the Lao capital, Vientiane, on
enormous potential for hydropower, agri-
12-13 March to discuss planning pro-
culture and other activities if wet season
cesses for the development of the Lower
flows can be harnessed. The conventional
Mekong Basin at a Stakeholder Forum
wisdom applied by economic planners is
held by the MRC Basin Development
that the excess water that causes flooding
Plan.
in the rainy season can be stored to gen-
erate hydro-electricity and irrigate crops
The forum, attended by representatives
during the dry season.
of the Member State governments and
their development partners, academics,
However, there is increasing acknowl-
and members of civil society organisa-
edgement that if the natural flood pulse
tions and the public, offered a chance
of the Mekong and its tributary rivers is
for various parts of society to exchange
restricted, and dry season flows increase
views on what constitutes sustainable
to far above their natural levels, then the
development in the Mekong River Basin, Basin planning involves trying to achieve balance in the uses of Mekong Basin resources.
reproductive cycles of fish and traditional
and on the multiple uses of water and
farming systems could be disturbed. Such
related resources.
The Basin Development Plan is being
changes in the annual flows of rivers in
a scenario could lead to environmental
designed to take on board different views the Mekong Basin, and the use of their
and food production problems, particular-
According to Mr Chantavong Saignasith, so that the MRC can help its Member
water, complicating the task of develop-
ly among the poorest people of the region.
Member of the MRC Joint Committee
States develop a shared vision to move
ment planning, and making it vital that
and Director General of the Lao National forward and take coherent actions for the decision-making processes become wider The meeting did not seek to produce
Mekong Committee Secretariat, a partici- development of the basin in a transparent and more inclusive.
any agreement on such issues, but rather
patory process and the forging of strong
manner.
gave a platform for decision-makers and
partnerships with the basin's stakeholders
A traditional view of the Mekong is that
researchers from governmental, interna-
are essential to developing the economic One of the major themes expressed by
its power has not been harnessed ­ that
tional, non-governmental, and private
potential of the Mekong River system in
participants at the forum was that eco-
because of the lack of storage dams, a lot
a sustainable manner.
nomic growth will lead to significant
of water is not utilised but is left to flow
Continued page 3
Council meeting records good progress, partnerships
The 14th meeting of the MRC Council was
In 2008 the MRC will also commence
held in Siem Reap in November 2007.
the second phase of its Junior Riparian
Professional capacity building scheme,
H.E. Mr Lim Kean Hor, MRC Coun-
which will help promote integrated water
cil Chairman for 2007-2008, Minister
resources management abilities among
of Water Resources and Meteorology,
young professionals and academics in the
Chairman of the Cambodia National
basin.
Mekong Committee and Member of the
MRC Council for Cambodia, told the
H.E. Mr Lim Kean Hor added that the
meeting that support from the devel-
MRC had also further consolidated its
opment partners had been strong and
relationship with the World Bank and the
consistent over the past year.
Asian Development Bank and was work-
ing closely with them in their regional
It was reported that in 2007 the MRC
A good end to a good meeting as the minutes are signed in Siem Reap.
initiatives. The meeting heard progress
signed agreements worth over US$20
reports from the MRC programmes,
million to fund its programme work and
In 2007 the MRC was also able to start
Resources Management-based Ba-
progress on the 2006-2010 Strategic Plan
this had enabled the MRC to develop
phase two of its Basin Development Plan
sin Development Plan, a portfolio of
and approved MRC's operating budget
a proposal for a new hydropower pro-
Programme (BDP). The BDP and IKMP,
programmes and projects identified
for 2008.
gramme; to fully develop the Information embody the central business of the MRC
and shortlisted under the BDP Plan-
and Knowledge Management Programme ­ development planning and knowledge.
ning Cycle, better assessment tools
(IKMP); to build capacity in the MRCS
and an improved knowledge base and
and NMCs; and to continue work in basin Phase 2 of the BDP will see the prepa-
enhanced capacity for planning and
Continued page 4
planning, fisheries and the environment.
ration of a rolling Integrated Water
mediation.
INSIDE
· Real time flood maps help early warning
· Fisheries consumption data released
· New watershed managment resources in

provinces
6th Annual Mekong Flood Forum, 27-28 May, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
For information about the MRC please contact: Tel: 856 21 263 263 Email: mrcs@mrcmekong.org Website: www.mrcmekong.org

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Monitoring delivers data to decision makers
AS development in the basin increases, it
is vital for government decision makers
to have sufficient data at hand to make
sound decisions on trade-offs, costs and
benefits of any interventions.
In order to help achieve this, the Fisher-
ies Ecology, Valuation and Mitigation
(FEVM) component of the MRC Fish-
eries Programme is engaging in some
exciting research on several areas of the
fishery which will allow local people to
have an increased capacity to manage
and plan this vital resource.
The FEVM component has been moni-
toring the status and trends of fisheries
resources, improving knowledge of
the socio-economic value of fisheries
resources and their ecology as well as
developing predictive models for basin
Local fishers play a vital part in the monitoring of species in the Mekong. at all the montioring sites throughout the basin
planning purposes.
catch by species, how often they fished
they leave the Great Lake in the receding All these data are being consolidated and
and the gear used. Special forms and
flood. Both these studies are generating
shared between Member States and with
Research work has been carried out in
identification charts were designed and
data on amounts and types of fish caught the assistance of fisheries models it will
conjunction with local fishers who joined produced in local languages to make the and the times of year they are caught.
allow scientists to predict the response
forces with the programme to monitor
task easier for the survey team. As their
Work is also being conducted to improve of fish resources and critical habitat to
abundance and diversity of fish in their
information is received it is fed into a
understanding of how fish stocks respond changes in hydrology and basin develop-
regions. The programme has already
new daily catch monitoring database.
to water availability and flooding pat-
ment.
published a comprehensive consumption
terns.
study in 2007 and this will be further
This knowledge can, in turn, allow for
enhanced in the future.
The component is also monitoring sev-
eral types of important fish trapping and
Teams are also monitoring larvae abun-
mitigation measures to be evaluated and
dance over a fixed sampling period. As
assist regional and national planners in
Local fishers began monitoring the abun- netting systems in the Lower Mekong
larvae often drift for kilometers this will
their decision making on development in
dance and diversity of fish in June 2007
Basin, such as the Li trap fishery in Lao
shed light on numbers and importance of the basin.
at 23 sites in four habitats (mainstream,
PDR (which traps fish as they migrate
species in certain areas at certain times as
tributary, flood plain and estuary). At
upstream) and the dai fishery in Cam-
well as helping to identify and map criti-
For more information contact Dr
each site fishers recorded their daily
bodia which hauls in tonnes of fish as
cal fish habitats.
Ashley Halls, halls@mrcmekong.org
Near real time maps
help flood forecasting
THE Mekong River Commission has
has provided an unprecedented amount
expanded its use of the RADARSAT-1
of information on the pattern of flooding.
satellite to accurately map the extent of
October is usually the month when the
the annual floods, and supplement and
monsoon floods in Southeast Asia start
complement data from river gauges and
to recede. In 2007, however, October ap-
flood models. RADARSAT-1 is particu-
peared to be the month of peak flooding
larly useful for flood mapping because
in the lower Mekong floodplain and the
of its ability to see through clouds and
delta area.
depict sensitivity to flooding.
A flood change map can be used in
In 2007, the regular annual flood map-
conjunction with actual river gauge
ping took a step forward through the
measurements from the MRC's flood
implementation of a near real-time
forecasting and river monitoring website,
flood mapping service implemented in
http://ffw.mrcmekong.org.
partnership with the Canadian Space
Agency and Hatfield Consultants
The flood gauge information confirms
(Canada).
the interpretation of the RADARSAT-1
imagery, and the flood change product.
Every five to seven days, this service
The overall trend of this year's flood
provides a set of flood map products to
season suggests that 2007 may be con-
the MRC, which are made available to
sidered as a `normal' flood year in the
users of the MRC Flood Forecast web
lower Mekong basin.
portal (http://ffw.mrcmekong.org/)
within 24 hours of acquisition. Between
Flood mapping using RADARSAT-1
June and December 2007, a total of 84
helps Component 1 of the FMMP to sup-
individual flood maps were delivered on
port the Annual Mekong Flood Reports.
24 individual dates.
Near real-time flood map products are
also potentially a valuable part of future
The weekly acquisition of radar imagery emergency flood response and mitiga-
over the Lower Mekong Basin since July tion.
An example flood map derived from a RADARSAT-1 ScanSAR image, acquired October 17, 2007 from
the MRC website.

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BDP Stakeholder Forum
New MRCS CEO
From page 1
organisations to share information and
Jeremy Bird, a specialist in water re-
express views on basin development.
sources management from the UK, has
Some participants called on the MRC
been appointed new Chief Executive
to use the second phase of the BDP to
Officer for the MRC Secretariat, based
in Vientiane. A Chartered Engineer with
bring more groups and views into the
qualifications in water law and policy, Mr
planning process. Officials from the
Bird has over 25 years of international
Member States of the MRC - Cambodia,
experience in the water sector.
the Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam ­
stressed the need to cooperate to use the
Already familiar with the Lower Mekong
rich resources of the Mekong to improve
Basin region, Mr Bird will bring to the
living conditions across the basin.
MRC sound knowledge on utilisation of
international waters, and a good under-
MRC staff pointed out that there are no
standing of development issues related to
magic solutions to the challenges facing
hydropower projects, environmental and
basin decision makers. While research,
social assessment, flood management, and
irrigation.
monitoring and scientific modelling can
provide much information on current
Representatives of many parts of society came to add their voices to the Basin Planning Process.
Mr Bird has expressed his excitement at
situations, and on the possible effects of
will help meet this gap, provided that
involved in the process, and empha-
working with staff in Phnom Penh and
large individual projects such as storage
information is provided by all countries
sised that now is the time to accelerate
Vientiane. He is looking forward to re-
dams, the cumulative effects of rapid
and sectors of society.
this involvement, at a time when deci-
turning to the Mekong region, to building
development will affect rivers and the
sions are taken that will affect water
on the team spirit in the Secretariat, and to
communities around them in ways that
Several participants expressed their
and water use in the Lower Mekong
improving cooperation with National Me-
cannot be exactly determined. The BDP
appreciation of this chance to become
Basin.
kong Committees and line agencies.
Germany aids flood disaster management and planning
ON 22 November 2007 the Government
Officer-in-Charge of the MRCS. The
building, knowledge sharing and public natural resource management in the
of Germany and the Mekong River Com- new funds will support two FMMP com-
awareness campaigns at the provincial,
basin.
mission signed a new agreement worth
ponents.
district and community levels.
3 million to fund the MRC's Flood
The aim of this technical cooperation is
Management and Mitigation Programme Component 4 aims to strengthen ca-
Component 5 aims to improve land
to improve the flood control policies of
(FMMP).
pacities for disaster management boost
management techniques through the
the MRC Member States along the lower
capacity in flood disaster management.
use of flood probability maps and will
Mekong as regards disaster management
The agreement was signed at the MRC
This component is working to ensure
address the pressing issues of flood
and land policy.
Secretariat on 21st November 2007 by
the improvement of existing emergency probability assessment techniques,
Mr Hanspeter Schwaer for the Federal
management systems in riparian coun-
improved land-use planning methods
The projects will be implemented by the
Ministry of Economic Cooperation and
tries to deal with the Mekong Floods
and damage-reducing land management German development agency, GTZ.
Development and Mr Do Manh Hung,
more effectively, through capacity
policies in order to achieve sustainable
Information products
Lao and Thai Fisheries Films
Proceedings of the 5th Annual
An Introduction to the Mekong
Consumption Study
These films about the
Mekong Flood Forum
Fisheries of Thailand
Technical Paper No 16
Lao and Thai fisheries
This CD-ROM contains
Development Series No 5
The full title of this
have been produced by
the proceedings of the 5th
This report on the fisheries
fascinating report is
national fisheries agencies
Annual Mekong Flood
of Thailand is designed for
Consumption and the
and reflect the importance
Forum, "Improving Inputs
the non technical reader
yield of fish and other
of fisheries in these two
towards Medium-Term
and features a description
aquatic animals from the
countries.
Flood Forecasting and
of the Thai fishery and
Lower Mekong Basin. It
Warning in the Mekong
records the results of 20
its importance to people
The Lao film Fisheries of
Basin", held in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet
field surveys conducted
at all levels of society
Lao is available in Lao
Nam on 17-18 May 2007.
in the LMB by the FEVM
and English while the
in Thailand. Featuring
component of the Fisheries Programme.
Thai film River of Life is
The CD includes text of presentations
many colour photos and illustrations, this For more information on this work see
available in English and
and photographs.
report is available in English and Thai.
the "Monitoring" article on page two of
Thai.
this issue of Mekong News.
September 2007. $5.00 (plus postage)
July 2007. US$3.00 (plus postage)
September 2007. US$10.00 (plus postage) October 2007. US$5.00 (plus postage)
For access to the latest reports and research on development 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 avail-
Sikhottabong District, Vientiane 01000, Lao PDR
able through the website, www.mrcmekong.org.
Tel: (856 21) 263 263 ext: 1041 Fax: (856 21) 263 264
Some products are also available as free downloads from the MRC website.
Email: doc.centre@mrcmekong.org Website: www.mrcmekong.org

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Offices put focus on watersheds
Council
THE MRC-GTZ Watershed Manage-
meeting
ment Project will open seven Watershed
Management Learning and Training
Offices in the MRC Member States of
records
Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Thailand and
Viet Nam over 2008.
progress...
The first such office was opened in No-
vember 2007 in Ban Phialat, in the Lao
From page 1
district of Sangthong and is one of two
The meeting also discussed the input
planned for the Lao PDR.
from its development partners following
the annual Donor Consultative Group
The new Watershed Management Learn-
(DCG) meeting held the previous day
ing and Training Offices are deisgned
at the same venue. The DCG issued a
to give local people the opportunity to
statement calling for faster implemen-
raise awareness of the importance of
tation of the Organisational Review
sustainable natural resources in relation
recommendations and increased financial
to water and water resources manage-
contributions to the MRC budget by the
ment, and watershed issues. The offices
Member States.
will provide communities with useful
and understandable information on the
The Group also called on the MRC to
functions and services of the watershed
Local fishers play a vital part in the monitoring of species in the Mekong at all the monitoring sites
"show leadership in major development
in their area, as well as on its problems
throughout the basin
initiatives", including hydropower, to
and challenges.
increase stakeholder consultation, and
planners can thus become involved in
resulting increase in ecotourism will
to improve monitoring and evaluation
Visitors will be able to view the princi-
making more detailed information avail- also benefit the hosting villages.
(M&E) procedures. The Chairman of
ples, impacts, methods and tools which
able for professional needs.
the MRC Joint Committee responded
can be used to achieve sustainable
All Watershed Management Learning
by outlining progress in the Hydro-
watershed management, and can also
As the information provided is expected and Training Offices and Centres will be power Programme set up, and requesting
take special training sessions designed
to be first hand and specifically from
equipped with a set of useful maps and
the watershed, the data and informa-
satellite images of the area (administra-
increased capacity building to enable
to fulfill different information needs.
tion collected and stored in Watershed
tion, topography, population, land and
accelerated riparianisation of staff posi-
Management Learning and Training
forest cover, drainage and water catch-
tions. He also pointed out that a new
The offices can act as communication
Offices can also be used for planning
ments etc.). Furthermore, equipment
M&E system was already in the pipeline.
platforms for news, knowledge, and all
local strategies for flood and/or drought will be provided for communication and Full details of the DCG statement and
kind of data on sustainable watershed
mitigation, climate change adaptation
training. A water quality test tool kit
the MRC response are available at www.
management and it is hoped that they
and related issues.
will be available to enable testing and
mrcmekong.org/group-statements.htm.
will become gathering points for all
concerned with watershed management,
monitoring of the water quality of rivers
Tourists looking for specific informa-
and streams.
Earlier in the same week, the MRC
eventually developing into more sophis- tion on stream and watershed ecology For further information: Dr. Ulrich held talks with representatives from
ticated watershed management centres.
will be welcome at the offices and any
Hoesle, hoesle@mrcmekong.org
China and Myanmar at its 12th Dia-
Local people, extension workers, and
logue Meeting. Discussion included
plans for water resource development
on the Lancang/Mekong River and
Thiess Riverprize nominations closing progress of the improvements to navi-
gation project.
Nominations for the annual Thiess
Riverprize and the Australian National
and now more than ever, it is encourag-
Riverprizes close at the end of March.
Thiess Riverprize. 2008 marks the tenth
ing to see projects both here and overseas There was also discussion on possible
Internationally renowned for recognising anniversary of the awards, the interna-
combining science, public policy and
future areas of co-operation including
increased co-operation on the provision
and rewarding best practice in the resto-
tional version of which was won by the
community action to address river
of hydrological data in the flood season
ration and management of river systems
MRC in 2002.
health".
and sharing of knowledge on the devel-
around the world, the Thiess Riverprize
opment of flood forecasting systems.
is the most coveted award of river basin
International judging panel Chair, Pro-
To celebrate the tenth anniversary the
and watershed management groups.
fessor Paul Greenfield, says the Thiess
organisers of the prize, the International
Other fields included potential for the
Riverprize Awards offer organisations
Riverfoundation, are this year publish-
expansion of co-operation water qual-
First established in 1999, the Thiess
committed to water sustainability a
ing a new Riverprize book featuring the
ity monitoring including joint projects;
Riverprize offers the highest monetary
unique opportunity to take action on river international organisations which have won exchange of expertise in mathematical
award of river management prizes
rescue ideas. "The prize recognises best
the award over the past ten years. Prepara-
modelling systems; and the possibil-
(500,000 Australian dollars), and global
practice in the restoration and preserva-
tions for this publication have included an
ity of the introduction of an academic
recognition at the annual International
tion of waterways worldwide", says
extensive interview with Chairman of the
and private sector exchange programme
Riversymposium in September. There
Prof Greenfield. "Like many countries,
MRC Joint Commit ee for 2007-2008, Mr
between China, Myanmar and the MRC
are two awards, the International Thiess
Australia is in the grip of a water crisis
Nguyen Hong Toan.
Member States.
Upcoming events
Mekong Day and Official Opening of the MRC Regional
Expo Zaragoza 2008 `Water and Sustainable
13th World Water Congress
Flood Management and Mitigation Centre Building
Development'
1-4 September 2008, Montpellier, France
5 April, Phnom Penh
14 June-14 September 2008, Zaragoza, Spain
www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1406.shtml
www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1422.shtml
6th Annual Mekong Flood Forum,
27-28 May Phnom Penh, Cambodia
World Water Week
amff6@mrcmekong.org, or amff6.mrc@gmail.com
12-23 August, Stockholm, Sweden
visit www.mrcmekong.org for details
www.worldwaterweek.org
Mekong News is published quarterly by the
Mekong River Commission Secretariat in
ECWATECH: International Congress
Fourth International Symposium on GIS/Spatial Analyses
Vientiane, Lao PDR. Please send comments,
"Water: ecology and technology"
in Fishery and Aquatic Sciences
queries and ideas to the Communications Officer,
3-6 June 2008, Moscow, Russia
August 25-29, 2008, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Phone: (856-21) 263 263 ext. 4703 Fax: (856-21)
http://www.ecwatech.com/
Call for papers: http://www.esl.co.jp/Sympo/index.htm
263 264 Email: aiden@mrcmekong.org

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