July-September
Issue 2007/3
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
Donors, countries discuss plans for MRC
ON June 28 2007 delegates from
as many professional positions within
Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and
programmes should be filled by
Viet Nam, together with
riparian staff as soon as possible,
representatives of the international
subject to there being suitably
donor community, partner
qualified candidates. The donor group
organisations and development banks
expressed strong support for this goal.
gathered at the MRC Secretariat in
Donors and delegates also exchanged
Vientiane for the annual Informal
views on ways to increase aid
Donor Meeting.
effectiveness through the MRC's
H.E. Mr Sin Niny, Chairman of the
donor harmonisation suggestions,
MRC Joint Committee for 2006/2007
which would streamline reporting and
told the meeting that support from
funding modalities and involve new
donors had been very strong over the
funding vehicles such as the Mekong
past year with more than US$23
Water Management Trust Fund. This
million pledged for programme work.
would increase the efficiency of the
Prior to the meeting there was a
Secretariat while reducing the
The donors and delegates at the Informal Donor Meeting in Vientiane.
special session of the MRC Joint
workload of individual programmes.
Committee to discuss the approval of
to further strengthen the MRC's
discuss recommendations arising from The idea of funding an overall
the recommendations of the
position in the Mekong region, while
the conference and the review, with
programme of the MRC rather than
Independent Organisational Review
the review highlighted areas for
many being accepted.
programme by programme also came
of the MRC and the National Mekong
improvement within the organisation.
With the aim of becoming a totally
under consideration.
Committees and the statement
The meeting heard about the progress
country-run organisation within the
Other talks centred on the MRC's
originating from the International
of the programme work of the MRC
next few years there was also
active involvement in the Mekong
Conference on the MRC held in
as well as its progress toward
discussion on the progress of the
Water Resources Partnership
Hanoi in April.
implementing the goals of the
Roadmap to Riparianisation of the
Programme with the World Bank and
The main aim of this conference was
Strategic Plan and took time to
MRC Secretariat. It was decided that
as other collaborative activities.
Data input issues dominate 5th Mekong Flood Forum
MORE than 130 participants from 17 countries
In his welcome remarks, MRC Secretariat CEO Dr
attended the 5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum in
Olivier Cogels also emphasised the urgent need to
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam on May 17 and 18,
improve the quality and timely exchange of flood
2007 to share information on "Improving Data
information most importantly to save human life,
Inputs Towards Medium-term Flood Forecasting
but also to protect property, agricultural land and
and Warning in the Mekong Basin", the theme of
livestock. He pointed out that changes in land use
this year's forum.
brought with them the potential to make more of
The Forum, which was organised by the MRC's
the basin vulnerable to flood damage.
Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre
"Our member countries have established or are
(RFMMC) was officially opened by Mr Nguyen
establishing a range of actions to enable them to
Hong Toan, Secretary-General Viet Nam National
cope with these changes but they need the tools,
Mekong Committee and MRC Joint Committee
data and information to help them make the right
Member for Viet Nam.
decisions," he said.
Mr Toan told the forum delegates it was up to the
Participants heard about the progress being made
MRC member countries to increase cooperation in
on improving flood forecasting in the basin and
their data exchange to ensure the MRC's Flood
also the key areas which need attention. They also
Management and Mitigation Programme (FMMP)
had the opportunity to discuss emerging needs
could meet the flood forecasting needs of the
within the basin and to review the progress each
Delegates listen to the presentations at the Flood Forum.
basin's people.
Continued page 4
INSIDE
Team selects Mekong-HYCOS stations
Japan aids hydropower programme development
Flood mapping project launched in Thailand
26th meeting of the MRC Joint Committee, 29-30 August 2007, Vientiane, Lao PDR
For information about the MRC please contact: Tel: 856 21 263 263 Email: mrcs@mrcmekong.org Website: www.mrcmekong.org

---

HYCOS stations selected
Fisheries
experts take
AFTER travelling 7,500 km by road
and 13,000 km by plane the Mekong-
knowledge to
HYCOS project team has completed
its inspection tour of 45 hydrological
the region
measuring stations on tributaries and
the Mekong mainstream in the Lower
AS PART of their work to increase
Mekong Basin.
fisheries knowledge in the region Mr
The project management unit together
Kaviphone Phouthavongs and Dr
with representatives of the relevant
Suchart Ingthamjitr from the MRC
Line Agencies and NMCs in each of
Fisheries Programme acted as
the member countries undertook the
trainers in a recent joint training
tour to ascertain which stations were
exercise for community-based
to be selected for upgrading as part of
aquaculture in remote rural areas.
the new Mekong-HYCOS project.
The course, which was held in Lao
The team also took some time out for
PDR in July, was part of a project on
training in the field.
the "Promotion of Sustainable
The original decision on which
The team spends some time examining the technical aspects of a Thai installation.
Freshwater Aquaculture for Rural
stations could be upgraded with the
Communities" and this initial
of civil work and present this to
regional and national needs. The
new HYCOS equipment was made in
exercise was to train the trainers.
country representatives in
purpose or specific objective of the
the project document which was
September/October. They will then
Mekong-HYCOS project is to
The project which is being initiated
drafted in November 2005. But after
tender for civil works.
establish a well functioning, reliable,
by The Southeast Asian Fisheries
the project started in January 2007 it
accurate and timely hydro-
Development Centre (SEAFDEC)
was decided to make priorities for
The new equipment will allow for
meteorological data collection and
with funding support from the
upgrading stations depending on the
automatic transmission of data by
transmission system at basin level,
Japanese Trust Fund, is being
budget: around 25 stations in priority
SMS messages every hour or every
while strengthening relevant national
implemented in collaboration with
1 and 10 stations in priority 2.
three hours to Line Agencies, the
the Department of Livestock and
Regional Flood Management and
and regional capacities.
The decision to prioritise the stations
Fisheries of Lao PDR, the
Mitigation Centre and the MRCS all
The project is planned from 2007 to
was made through national
Department of Fisheries of Thailand,
at the same time.
2011 with three main steps:
consultations with country
the MRC Fisheries Programme, and
representatives and this was validated
Mekong-HYCOS will be part of the
1. The Inception Phase that will last
the WorldWide Fund for Nature in
at a regional workshop held in
World Meteorological Organisation's
approximately 12 months,
Lao PDR.
Vientiane on 17-18 July 2007 and
(WMO) World Hydrological Cycle
2. The Construction and Installation
This Training-of-Trainers (TOT) was
approved by the steering committee at
Observing System (WHYCOS) aimed
Phase will be from January-June 2008
conducted for 23 aquaculture
its meeting on 19 July.
at enhancing the collection and
in time for the 2008 flood season; and
extension officers from eight Asian
distribution of hydrological
The next step is the tendering process
countries including the four MRC
information through modernisation
3. Follow-up Phase lasting
for the hydrometeorological
Member States, Myanmar, Indonesia
of national hydrological services.
approximately 3.5 years in order to
equipment (data loggers with water
Malaysia and the Philippines.
WHYCOS is being implemented as a
assure proper maintenance of
level and rainfall sensors) and for the
number of regional components,
equipment and training of the local
Specifically, the training aimed to
the telemetry system to be used. The
referred to as "HYCOS projects",
staff and therefore ensure the project
provide the participants with:
team must also to prepare the design
each being designed to meet specific
is sustainable.
knowledge in working with
communities through participatory
Sediment study on Great Lake
approach;
additional knowledge on
freshwater aquaculture systems (from
THE Information Knowledge and
studies. The results of the feasibility
broodstock development to seed
Management Programme (IKMP) is
study will be reported in September.
production, nursery and grow-out),
carrying out a Technical Assistance
particularly for indigenous species;
Monitoring sediment movement is a
project for the MRC Navigation
complicated process and necessitates
skills in the transfer of
Programme on navigation
using the most up-to-date modelling
freshwater aquaculture technologies
improvements in the Great Lake in
tools in the analysis. The IKMP team
in rural areas (eg integrated
Cambodia.
is facing similar challenges in other
freshwater aquaculture techniques);
The project which is being
ongoing projects. These include
and,
undertaken by a team of experts
modelling the hydrodynamic and
skills in extension services.
financed by Finland working within
water quality processes in the
The course included practical
the IKMP is evaluating the technical
complex canal-river-floodplain
sessions in the field and both study
feasibility of dredging a navigation
system in Cambodia and the Mekong
and site visits.
channel across the lake to allow year-
Delta, and the primary productivity of
round navigation to Siem Reap.
the Great Lake-Tonle Sap floodplain
Once trained, the trainers will focus
on the promotion of appropriate
The feasibility criteria in the study is
system.
aquaculture systems that can be
to estimate the rate at which the
This productivity is linked to the
applied in remote rural areas in
channel may fill with sediment and
annual process of successive flooding
Southeast Asia. An important
the consequent need for maintenance
The team collects a core sample from the
and drying of the floodplain, known
component of the capacity building
dredging.
bottom of the Great Lake in Cambodia.
as the flood pulse. The model study
will be to compile existing regional
Sediment at the bottom of the lake is
The team is carrying out the work in
aims assess if productivity is affected
competence and experiences in
soft and this, combined with wind-
collaboration with the Department of
by developments and changing flow
matters of interest and share these
wave induced water movements at the
Hydrology and River Works of
regimes in the Mekong Basin.
among the other countries.
lake bottom, needs to be taken into
Cambodia, the Southern Institute for
In Vientiane, Lao PDR pilot work is
Apart from the MRC, other trainers
account when planning such a
Water Resources Research in Ho Chi
ongoing in coupling the river flow
came from the Thai Department of
channel. The tendency for such
Minh City and the Technical
model with measured river bank
Fisheries, SEAFDEC Aquaculture
structures to fill in is more noticeable
University of Budapest, Hungary. The
stability data. Practical output will be
Department, WorldWide Fund for
in the low water period when the
project contains field surveys,
estimates of actual bank erosion rates
Nature and the Living Aquatic
water depth in the lake is only one to
laboratory tests as well as
and assessment of bank protection
Resources Research Center.
two metres.
hydrodynamic and sediment model
needs in hot spot areas.

---

MRC Secretariat CEO completes term of office
DR OLIVIER COGELS,the Chief
"In particular this approach has
were very sound. In the past three
Executive Officer of the Mekong River
brought a major change in our
years, following some solid
Commission Secretariat completed his
relationship with China, which is now
fundraising efforts, the yearly amount
three-year term of office on 9th August
more willing to enter into joint
of funding available for MRC's work
2007. He chose not to apply for a
cooperation on navigation and on
had almost doubled.
second term.
modelling and computerised systems.
MRC had also expanded its working
In a farewell speech to staff of the
I also hope we will cooperate on the
relationships with the development
Secretariat he said, while he was
operating rules of the dams being
banks and was willing to play a larger
obviously sad to leave his team, his
constructed on the Lancang."
role in regional schemes such as the
time heading the Secretariat had been
Dr Cogels said he felt the MRC was in
Greater Mekong Subregion initiative.
extremely rewarding and much had
a stronger position today. It had
Dr Cogels said he was pleased to see
been achieved in the past three years.
formulated an ambitious Strategic Plan
the MRC was now poised to capitalise
"During my mandate I feel we have
which would provide the path for the
on these achievements and move
successfully steered the MRC toward a
MRC's future work and had introduced
toward becoming a stronger, country-
Dr Olivier Cogels has left the MRCS.
common goal - that of an international
the concept of the Mekong Programme
driven international river basin
river basin organisation which, more
to the region. This is a development
higher on the agenda.
organisation that would bring more
than in the past, concentrates on
and investment programme owned by
benefits to the member countries.
developing its water resources for the
"As a direct consequence of this new
the member countries.
Dr Cogels will return to his career as a
economic benefit of the people and
orientation the MRC should now be
A coordinated programme structure
senior international consultant in the
their countries," he said.
able to develop its capacity to become
had also been established within
a powerful player in the region, but it
water resources management field and
"I am proud to have played my part in
MRCS and this would bring about
will need development partners and
continue as an extraordinary professor
refocusing the MRC's goals to put
more efficient operations
political leaders to put their weight
in IWRM with the Catholic University
development and poverty alleviation
behind the organisation's new focus.
He added that the finances of the MRC
of Louvain in Belgium.
Japan supports Hydropower Programme through ASEAN
ASEAN through the Japan ASEAN Integration
and organisation of regional meetings for collecting
companies from the riparian countries and national
Fund (JAIF) sponsoring body is to fund an MRC
comments from member countries and stakeholders
and regional stakeholders. Based on the result of
project on hydropower in the Mekong Basin.
for inclusion in the programme document.
these studies MRC will prepare a hydropower
The Project, entitled Initial Analysis of
Studies will incorporate the current and planned
programme document to seek funding.
Hydropower Potentials in the Lower Mekong Basin
hydropower projects in the LMB, a review of
The MRC has an important role to play in
(LMB) in relation to Cumulative Transboundary
previous studies and documents related to
hydropower development within the basin with
Impacts will culminate in the formulation of an
hydropower potential, power development plans
regard to transboundary issues and projects with
MRC Hydropower Programme.
and development scenarios, economic and technical
basinwide impacts and to common projects which
The work envisaged in this proposal is composed
analysis of the value of hydropower, hydrological
involve two or more MRC countries.
of three components: Data collection in the Lower
assessments on the flow regime, flood reduction
It can also provide technical and managerial
Mekong Basin and formulation of the MRC
effects and social and environmental impacts.
expertise to member countries and funding agencies
hydropower programme; initial analysis on benefits
There will be involvement from national planning
and become involved in planning, monitoring and
and cumulative transboundary impacts in the LMB;
and water related ministers as well as power
mitigation measures if requested.
I n f o r m a t i o n p r o d u c t sAll available as free downloads on www.mrcmekong,org
MRC Annual Report 2006
Daignostic study of water quality in
Annual Mekong Flood Report
Catch & Culture
the Lower Mekong Basin
2006
2006 omnibus editions in Lao and Thai
The Mekong River
MRC Technical Paper No 15
Commission's Annual
The Annual Mekong
These issues of Catch
This report presents
Report 2006 presents key
Flood Report 2006
and Culture feature a
the results of an
achievements and
takes a historical look
selection of the best
analysis of the
progress made by the
at the flood regime of
articles which
physical and chemical
organisation's
the Mekong River and
appeared in the 2006
water quality of the
programmes in 2006. It
allows the reader to
English language
lower Mekong River-
also contains articles on the recently
put modern floods
editions of Catch and
system, based on water and sediment
approved Strategic Plan 2006-2010 which
into perspective. The report includes
Culture and which are most
samples collected during 2003 and
outlines the MRC's future goals, the
much hydrological information on the
applicable to individual member
2004. The study establishes current
second phase of the BDP and a new
Annual Mekong Flood as well as
countries. All articles have been
baseline conditions for environmental
navigational system for the Mekong River.
specific country reports on the 2006
translated into Thai and Lao.
contaminants and recommends future
flood with details of damage and loss.
water-quality monitoring exercises.
June 2007 Free (Postage applies)
Free (postage applies)
May 2007. US$5.00 (plus postage)
April 2007 US$10.00 (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
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

---

5th Mekong
MRC maps floods for Chiang Rai
Flood Forum...
THE Flood Management and
Mitigation Programme, the
From page 1
Information and Knowledge (IKMP)
Management Programme and the Thai
country had made towards a balanced
Department of Water Resources
flood management plan.
(DWR) have launched a flood
The FMMP will support the member
management project in the Kok River
countries in preparing their own flood
Basin in Chiang Rai Province.
forecasting and early warning
The Strengthening of Flood
messages, taking of flood
Management Capacity for the Kok
preparedness measures and
River Basin in Chiang Rai project
emergency management, relief and
aims to gather sufficient technical
reconstruction.
data to produce flood models and
In order to provide timely
flood probability/vulnerability maps
information, state-of-the-art data-
which will improve flood
exchange tools will be required.
preparedness in this region.
Crucial elements with respect to the
The site at Chiang Rai was chosen
development of such an integrated
Google Earth
following a request from the Thai
approach are optimal quality and
Lower Kok River Basin - the pale grey area shows approximate area flooded in 2005.
National Mekong Committee to
optimal flexibility of the tools to be
launch a pilot project for flood
applied. This will require strong
and remote sensing studies of the
year and the completion of the
mapping and modelling in this region.
cooperation of the MRC member
region. It will also collect information
stations will be ready for the next
countries, the Dialogue Partners and
The Kok River is a significant
on current flood protection and
flood season.
the RFMMC.
tributary and in the past few years
infrastructure. When the equipment is
At the conclusion of the one-year
Chiang Rai has suffered some bad
installed it will conduct operations at
The forum heard that data
project, outputs will be used as a
flooding, including flash floods.
the stations and measure water levels,
requirements necessary for reliable
model for projects on other tributary
Records show more than 60 flood
flow velocity and discharges.
short to medium-term forecasting
sites in the basin.
events and landslides every year.
included those concerning
All this data will be fed to DWR and
While this project gets under way,
meteorology and weather forecasting,
The project will construct housings
MRCS via satellite and internet every
another measuring station site is also
water level forecasting, effective
and install hydrometeorological
hour and IKMP will use this to
being established on the Mekong
early warning and flood preparedness
equipment in five measuring stations
calibrate a model for flood probability
mainstream, with the housing being
measures and emergency
on the Kok River, three are already
mapping. These maps will help the
in front of the MRC Secretariat in
management, relief and
there and two new ones will be
relevant authorities in land planning
Vientiane, Lao PDR. It will be used
reconstruction. Information derived
established.
and emergency preparedness and
as a demonstration site for donors and
from the data has to be easily and
The Thai DWR will initially
management to make better decisions.
visitors as well as a training ground
clearly accessible to decison makers.
undertake topographic and
It is hoped that the initial stages of
for country staff and a repository for
The RFMMC is modernising its tools
hydrographic mapping as well as GIS
this project will be completed this
spare parts if needed urgently.
and has recently decided to work
with the hydrological database
Indices will help spread health message
HYMOS and the hydrological flood
routing model URBS.
This approach enables automatic
THE Environment Programme is
sampling over a period yet to be
A site which is diverse and has many
exchange of data and immediate
developing a selection of indices for
decided on (most probably one or
sensitive species is considered in
generation of information for
its water quality and ecological health
three years).
good condition whilst the reverse
accurate flood forecasting at short
work in order to be able to present
For aquatic ecological health the
(low diversity and many tolerant
and medium term for the mainstream
complex environmental information
programme studies four sets of
species) is considered in a more
of the Mekong River. It also allows
in a simple way.
organisms: insects at the river's edge
degraded condition.
better exchange of information
In order to determine water quality it
and on the bottom in the middle of
For both water quality and aquatic
between the MRC member countries,
is essential to combine a number of
the river (littoral and benthic
ecological health the results will be
Dialogue Partners and the RFMMC
important parameters to provide an
macroinvertebrates); zooplankton and
presented as the condition of the
and will enable them to improve their
index for the protection of aquatic
small algae on substrates (diatoms).
sampling sites on a map which will
own flood forecasting and early
life. However, development of such
warning systems.
Depending on the biodiversity of the
provide an overall picture of the
an index requires a lot of care.
organisms and the abundance of
condition of the basin.
During the coming year this
The index is intended to reflect the
different groups (sensitive or tolerant
It is hoped that in the near future the
approach must become fully
suitability of the water at a site for
organisms) the team can develop a
indices will be ready to use for
operational. It is expected that further
supporting aquatic organisms. It will
score and compare it against a
information materials targeting the
progress can be reported in the 6th
be based on integrating the monthly
guideline.
general public.
Annual Mekong Flood Forum.
Upcoming events
26th Meeting of the MRC Joint Committee Meeting
3rd South East Asia Water Forum
Expo Zaragoza 2008 'Water and Sustainable
29-30 August, Vientiane, Lao PDR
22-27 October 2007, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Development'
email: schiefer@mrcmekong.org
http://3rdseawf.water.gov.my/
14 June - 14 September 2008, Zaragoza, Spain
www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1422.shtml
10th International Riversymposium and
14th Meeting of the MRC Council
Environmental Flows Conference.
November, Siem Reap, Cambodia
13th World Water Congress
3-6 September, 2007, Brisbane, Australia.
email: schiefer@mrcmekong.org
1-4 September 2008, Montpellier, France
www.riversymposium.com
Organizer: International Water Resources Association (IWRA)
12th Dialogue Meeting
www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1406.shtml
3rd International Conference on Water and Climate
November, Siem Reap, Cambodia
3-6 September 2007, Helsinki, Finland
email: schiefer@mrcmekong.org
www.symparisto.fi/default.asp?contentid=169172&lan=en
Mekong News is published quarterly by the Mekong
5th International Symposium on Environmental
River Commission Secretariat in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Fisheries data collection and analysis training course
Hydraulics (ISEH V)
Please send comments, queries and ideas to the
Wageningen, the Netherlands, October 1-19, 2007.
4-7 December 2007, Tempe, Arizona, United States
Communications Officer, Phone: (856-21) 263 263 ext.
E-mail: training.wi@wur.nl www.cdic.wur.nl
www.iahr.net/iseh/home/index
4703 Fax: (856-21) 263 264 Email:
virginia@mrcmekong.org

---