IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics Vienna, June 20-22, 2005

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IWG-Env International Work Session on Water
StatisticsVienna, June 20-22, 2005
Water Statistics in the Mekong River Basin
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Presentation outline

• About the Mekong River and the MRC
• Water statistics at MRC
• Sustainability issues
• Conclusions

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The Mekong River BasinSix Riparian Nationsin
South East Asia
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The Mekong River from source to delta

• Average flow contribution
• Upper Mekong (18)
• China 16
• Myanmar 2
• Lower Mekong (82)
• Cambodia 18
• Lao PDR 35
• Thailand 18
• Viet Nam 11

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The Lower Mekong Basin

• Four riparian countries
• Population of 60 million, with rapid increase to
  100 million in 2025
• Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam are among the
  poorest countries in Asia and the World
• Water is an essentialresource for livelihoods
• fisheries, agriculture, energy
• One of the most productive and diverse ecosystems
  in the world

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The 1995 Agreement

• Cooperation in all fields of sustainable
  development, utilisation, management and
  conservation of the water and related resources
  of the Lower Mekong Basin

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MRC Organizational Structure
Mekong River Commission Secretariat Operational
arm providing Technical and Administrative Support
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To make optimal use of water in the various
sectors
Irrigated AgricultureFisheriesHydropowerNavigat
ion Watershed ManagementFlood Management Water
Supply and SanitationTourism
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Decision Makers in Member Countries, Investors
and Funding Agencies Project planning and
implementation
                                   
MRC Programme - towards IWRM
Navigation Programme
Fisheries Programme
Agriculture, Irrigation and Forestry Programme
Tourism Programme
Hydropower Programme
MRC Information System Databases GIS - Models
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MRC is data hungry!
Some examples of current data holdings

• Administration
• Climate
• Culture
• Fisheries
• Forestry
• Inundation (flooding)
• Irrigation
• Population Human settlements
• Socio-economics

• Soils
• Topography
• Transportation
• Water
• Hydro-meteo
• time series
• Water Quality
• Water use

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Historical HM time series data
Data type No. of stations
Water level discharge 242
Rainfall 503
Meteorology 44
Sediment 60
gt 16,000 station yrs

• More WL than Discharge
• Quality control ongoing
• Used for many purposes
• Published yearly

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Operational HM time series data
Forecasting time-series data
Item Flood season Dry season
Water level Data 44 19
Rainfall Data 44 19
Delivery interval Daily Weekly
Near real-time data (telemetric)
Item AHNIP M-HYCOS
Water Level 18 lt 50
Rainfall Data 2 lt 50
Delivery interval Daily Hourly?
2 stations from China
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Use of operational HM data

• Flood forecasting
• Flash flood forecasting
• Navigation

More about this on Wednesday!
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Water Quality Statistics

• 100 sites
• Monthly samples
• Delivered yearly/quarterly
• 20 parameters
• Analysis by designated labs
• QA procedures in place
• Round robin analysis
• Standard samples
• Used to examine spatial patterns and trends in WQ

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Water Use Data

• 80 of water abstracted is used in agriculture
• Measurement of direct water use quite limited in
  LMB
• Estimations calculated (estimated) on secondary
  data
• Secondary data not always available, complete or
  accurate
• Current water use estimations could usefully be
  improved

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Sustainability issues

• Technical and institutional mechanisms
• Quantity, reliability and timeliness
• Continuity management of data collection
  networks
• Availability of resources and capacity
• These issues applies to all MRC data collection
  (and other organizations?)

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Institutional and technical mechanisms

• Improving conditions for data exchange and
  sharing
• Regional forum for DI exchange and sharing
  issues (TACT)
• Build trust and change attitudes
• National data custodianship
• Develop procedures, guidelines etc
• Support to national agencies
• The MRC Information System
• Integrated databases
• Models
• Institutional and technical mechanisms
• Capacity enhancements

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Quantity, reliability, timeliness

• Improvement of HM network density
• Climate data especially
• Quality Assessment and Assurance
• Database review
• SOPs, QA procedures,
• Timeliness
• Delays in validation and delivery to MRC
• Data Delivery Schedule support to countries
• Real-time telemetry networks

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Continuity management of networks

• OM closely related to sustainability of
  financial and human resources
• OM cost can be quite substantial
• Some national budgets very limited
• Limited lasting effect of projects
• Situation not unique to LMB
• Gradual improvements expected
• Support to countries required in foreseeable
  future

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Limitations in resources and capacity

• Access to skilled staff and sufficient funds two
  critical elements
• Present limitations in both is a challenge
• Regional HM capacity/skills are in shortage
• Big differences between MRC member countries
• Clear need to build regional capacity
• Long-term commitment required
• In recognition of current limitations
• MRC seeks to establish new DSIM Programme
• Donor funding sought
• 5 year implementation phase

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Access to MRC data

• Internal
• LAN/GIS software
• Web Portal
• Interactive maps
• Metadata catalog

• External
• Requests to MRCS
• Data publications (Atlas CDs, Yearbooks)
• Online (www.mrcmekong.org)
• Flood forecasting/river monitoring
• Web Portal

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Conclusions

• MRC holds substantial amounts of data
• Improvements needed to provide data required in
  the future
• MRC data collection depends on regional and
  national capacity and resources
• Lack of resources a limiting factor
• Sustainability in management of data collection
  networks a tough challenge
• Implementation of Decision Support and
  Information Management Programme will be a good
  step forward

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Thank you!