Bangladesh

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IAEA/RCA Project RAS/8/104 Assessment of Trends
in Freshwater Quality Using Environmental
Isotopes and Chemical Techniques for Improved
Resource Management
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• Approval
• Originally approved for 2007-2008
• Extension for 2009-2011 Concept already
  approved
• Objective
• General objective of the project is to extend the
  awareness and the utilisation of isotope
  techniques in fresh water resources management
  with specific emphasis on end-users.

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Participating Countries

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• China
• India
• Indonesia
• Korea
• Malaysia
• Myanmar

• Mongolia
• New Zealand
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Vietnam

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Regional Activities

• MEETINGS
• Project planning meeting to obtain commitment to
  regional and national activities and establish
  the national programmes of activities, Vienna,
  Austria, 2-5 April 2007 (implemented)
• First Progress Review Meeting for NPCs, Thailand,
  24-28 March 2008 (implemented)
• Executive Meeting on application of isotope
  techniques to solve hydrological problems,
  Q1/2009, New Zealand / Malaysia /Thailand
  (already planned/to be carried forward)
• Second Progress Review Meeting for NPCs, Q4/2009,
  China/Indonesia/Philippines (request for the next
  cycle 2009-2011)
• Final Project evaluation meeting to be attended
  by National Coordinators, Q2/2011, Vienna
  (aligned with IAEA Symposium on Isotope
  Hydrology) (already planned/ to be carried
  forward)

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Regional Activities (Continued)

• TRAINING COURCES
• IAEA/RCA Reg. Training Course on Application of
  Isotope and geochemical techniques to surface
  water - groundwater interactions and contaminant
  transport (About 24 participants for two), June
  2008 Host Korea (already planned/being processed
  for implementation)
• Regional Training Course on Advanced Techniques
  for Isotope and related applications in water
  resources management. (2 persons x 16 countries x
  2 wk) Q/3 2010, Australia/India/Pakistan (request
  for 2009-2011)

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Regional Activities (Continued)

• EXPERT MISSIONS
• Budget is already approved for the following
  expert services
• For repair /maintenance of lab equipment (2 wk)
• For field work designing, national training
  courses and national executive management
  seminars etc. (6 wk)
• For data interpretation (6 wk)
• Creation of a data-base using existing data and
  data generated through the project (home based
  assignment), Not required because IAEA database
  ISOHIS will be used
• Experts' assignment to draft recommendations and
  guidelines on the application of isotope
  techniques

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Regional Activities (Continued)

• ISOTOPE ANALYTICAL SERVICES
• Provision of isotope analytical services to the
  MSs having insufficient facilities Bangladesh,
  Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam
• PROCUREMENT
• Provision of minor equipment, spares, software,
  scientific supplies etc.

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The expected impact of the project

• The database will help plan future national
  hydrological studies and regional projects
• MSs will better understand pollution sources in
  their local regions.
• Managers in each country will be able to use the
  outputs from the Project to design efficient
  water quality strategies.
• Data from this project will provide scientific
  basis for more efficient implementation of
  national regulations.
• Integration of isotope geochemical information
  into water resource management practices is
  expected to result in significant cost saving.
• Trained human resources will be expanded.

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ISSUES
1. Lack of isotope analytical facilities in few
MSs (budget is allocated for isotope analytical
services through RRUs) 2. Lack of budget in some
countries for field work, consumable (chemicals,
spares, sampling bottles, etc.) (some budget is
allocated) 3. Delay or no response from some MSs
in submission of six monthly progress reports
(timely submission to be ensured by NRs)
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Achievements/General Project Progress

• The project was started in the 2nd quarter of
  2007 and is progressing according to the work
  plan.
• The MSs (except Bangladesh, Singapore and Sri
  Lanka) participated in the Project Planning
  Meeting.
• The MSs (except Mongolia, Singapore and Sri
  Lanka) participated in the First Project Review
  Meeting.
• National studies were started with the
  involvement of end users
• Project teams have been selected in most of the
  MSs.
• The MSs Collected hydrogeological information,
  prepared site maps, sample location maps and
  collected/ analysed water samples
• Preliminary interpretation of data was done in
  most of the MSs.
• Six monthly progress reports were submitted
• Philippines and Pakistan organized National
  Executive Management Seminars in the end-user
  departments

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Preliminary Findings in MSs
Australia has established sampling protocol and
started study at Glen Villa. Bangladesh
Baseline data on pollutant levels including
metals at trace level have been developed. The
water quality of the Karnafuli and Halda Rivers
is found highly degraded. Due to this situation,
the aquatic life is seriously hampered. China
has identified three main pollution sources of
surface water and groundwater in Huaihe River
Area. India is pursuing the national study
Application of isotope techniques in the
assessment of surface water and ground water
interaction in Patna city. Korea has collected
samples from northern part of the Yuseong area
including KAERI site and KURT and analysed
samples for various isotopes.
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Preliminary Findings in MSs (cont.)
Malaysian national study indicated that the major
contribution of the water resources in Langkawi
Island only comes from precipitation. Myanmar
analysed water samples of surface water in Yangon
Division and Mandalay for various chemical
concentrations. New Zealand is studying
groundwater age for identifying landuse impacts
on groundwater quality in the national
groundwater monitoring programme. Pakistan The
surrounding areas of Kalabagh dam site do not
have significant contribution in groundwater
recharge from Indus River. Philippines The
significant differences in the isotopic
signatures of the different water sources in the
study area facilitates detection of contamination
from leachate run-off to the surface water, and
eventually, to the groundwater.
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Preliminary Findings in the MSs (cont.)

• Sri Lanka collected water samples from the
  designated sample points from the wells and from
  Kelani River and analysed for chemical
  concentrations.
• Thailand studied interaction between rivers and
  groundwater in Chiang Mai Basin.
• Vietnam identified the recharge sources of GW
  system in Mekong Delta.

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Suggestions for Improvement

• More proactive role of NPCs to involve end-users
  and make them aware of isotope techniques
• Dissemination of results to articulate the value
  of isotopic techniques
• Improve access to analytical facilities,
• In-house training to end-users, (appointment of
  on-the-ground experts, facilitation of national
  workshops on a technical and managerial level )
• Emphasis on data analysis/interpretation and
  presentation in future group trainings
• Timely submission of proper progress/final
  reports (to be ensured by NRs)

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THANKS