IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics
Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Water Statistics in the
Mekong River Basin
Presentation outline

About the Mekong River and the MRC

Water statistics at MRC

Sustainability issues

Conclusions
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
2
The Mekong River
Basin
Six Riparian Nations
in South East Asia
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
3
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%
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
4
The Lower Mekong Basin





IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
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 essential
resource for livelihoods:
fisheries, agriculture, energy…
One of the most productive
and diverse ecosystems in
the world
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
5
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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
6
MRC Organizational Structure
Government
of
Cambodia
Government
of
Lao PDR
Government
of
Thailand
Government
of
Vietnam
COUNCIL
(Members at Ministerial and
Cabinet Level)
DONOR CONSULTATIVE GROUP
(Donor countries and
cooperating institutions)
NATIONAL MEKONG
COMMITTEES (NMC)
(Member Agencies)
JOINT COMMITTEE
(Members at level of Head of
Department or higher)
Mekong River Commission
Secretariat
Operational arm providing
Technical and Administrative Support
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
7
To make optimal use of
water in the various
sectors
Irrigated Agriculture
Fisheries
Hydropower
Navigation
Watershed Management
Flood Management
Water Supply and Sanitation
Tourism
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
8
MRC is data hungry!
Some examples of current data holdings…
• Administration
• Climate
• Culture
• Fisheries
• Forestry
• Inundation (flooding)
• Irrigation
• Population & Human settlements
• Socio-economics
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
• Soils
• Topography
• Transportation
• Water
• Hydro-meteo
time series
• Water Quality
• Water use
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
10
Historical HM time series data
Data type
No. of stations
Water level & discharge 242
Rainfall
503
Meteorology
Sediment
44
60
> 16,000 station yrs

More WL than Discharge
 Quality control ongoing
 Used for many purposes
 Published yearly
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
11
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
< 50
Rainfall Data
2
< 50
Delivery interval
Daily
Hourly?
2 stations from China
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
12
Use of operational HM data
Legend
Mekong River Commission

Flood
forecasting
 Flash flood
forecasting
 Navigation
#N/A
No Warning
Warning level reached
Flooding level reached
No data available
No data available
June 13, 2005
Station name
Chiang Saen
Luang Prabang
Chiang Khan
Vientiane
Nongkhai
Paksane
Nakhon Phanom
Thakhek
Mukdahan
Savannakhet
Khong Chiam
Ubon (Nam Mun)
Pakse
StungTreng
Kratie
Kompong Cham
Phnom Penh (Bassac)
Phnom Penh Port
Koh Khel (Bassac)
Neak Luong
Prek Kdam (Tonle Sap)
Tan Chau
Chau Doc (Bassac)
Station name
Chiang Saen
Luang Prabang
Chiang Khan
Vientiane
Nongkhai
Paksane
Nakhon Phanom
Thakhek
Mukdahan
Savannakhet
Khong Chiam
Ubon (Nam Mun)
Pakse
StungTreng
Kratie
Kompong Cham
Phnom Penh (Bassac)
Phnom Penh Port
Koh Khel (Bassac)
Neak Luong
Prek Kdam (Tonle Sap)
Tan Chau
Chau Doc (Bassac)
ID
CSA
LUA
CKH
VIE
NON
PAK
NAK
THA
MUK
SAV
KHO
UBO
PKS
STR
KRA
KOM
PPB
PPP
KOH
NEA
PRE
TCH
CDO
ID
CSA
LUA
CKH
VIE
NON
PAK
NAK
THA
MUK
SAV
KHO
UBO
PKS
STR
KRA
KOM
PPB
PPP
KOH
NEA
PRE
TCH
CDO
Zero
gauge
level
MSL
357.11
267.195
194.118
158.04
153.648
142.125
130.961
129.629
124.219
125.022
89.03
105.074
86.49
36.79
-1.08
-0.93
-1.02
0
Alarm
Flood level Alarm level Status
0
11.50
11.80
0
17.50
18.00
0
17.32
17.40
0
11.50
12.50
0
11.40
12.20
0
13.50
14.50
0
12.60
12.70
0
13.00
13.50
0
12.50
12.60
0
12.00
13.00
0
16.00
16.20
0
10.50
0
11.00
12.00
0
10.70
12.00
0
22.00
23.00
0
15.20
16.20
0
10.50
12.00
0
9.50
11.00
0
7.40
7.90
0
7.50
8.00
0
9.50
10.00
0
3.00
4.20
0
2.50
3.50
.
Forecasted water levels
Observed water levels
7-Jun
2.94
4.44
3.38
1.14
1.85
3.78
1.96
3.08
2.25
1.30
2.42
1.78
1.42
2.57
7.29
2.89
1.78
0.95
1.89
0.93
0.97
0.00
0.08
8-Jun
3.15
4.61
3.52
1.12
1.81
3.70
1.90
3.05
2.22
1.19
2.57
1.75
1.58
2.60
7.32
2.89
1.81
0.97
1.92
0.99
0.99
0.19
0.18
9-Jun
3.16
5.13
3.96
1.28
1.90
3.76
2.10
3.35
2.28
1.22
2.60
1.72
1.62
2.72
7.49
2.93
1.84
0.99
1.96
1.03
1.02
0.23
0.39
10-Jun
11-Jun
3.04
5.74
4.81
1.84
2.51
4.43
2.50
3.75
2.52
1.34
2.68
1.65
1.66
2.90
7.81
3.20
2.01
1.13
2.07
1.22
1.15
0.07
0.20
3.07
5.57
4.38
1.60
2.24
4.24
2.22
3.48
2.41
1.31
2.59
1.67
1.62
2.83
7.67
3.02
1.92
1.05
2.01
1.12
1.06
0.14
0.27
12-Jun
3.36
5.73
5.34
2.04
2.70
4.68
3.10
4.35
2.83
1.71
2.88
1.63
1.76
2.91
7.95
3.33
2.06
1.16
2.11
1.28
1.19
0.00
0.12
13-Jun
3.07
5.57
4.38
2.30
2.97
4.98
3.50
4.75
3.33
2.22
2.84
1.69
1.90
2.94
8.01
3.45
2.09
1.20
2.13
1.30
1.22
0.01
0.13
14-Jun
3.04
5.37
4.33
2.22
2.89
5.15
3.60
5.07
3.75
2.56
More about this
on Wednesday!
-0.33
0.08
0
0
Zero
gauge
level
MSL
357.11
267.195
194.118
158.04
153.648
142.125
130.961
129.629
124.219
125.022
89.03
105.074
86.49
36.79
-1.08
-0.93
-1.02
0
-0.33
0.08
0
0
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Rainfall
Flood level
11.80
18.00
17.40
12.50
12.20
14.50
12.70
13.50
12.60
13.00
16.20
10.50
12.00
12.00
23.00
16.20
12.00
11.00
7.90
8.00
10.00
4.20
3.50
12-Jun
17.3
n/r
1.6
n/r
7.3
5.5
14.0
3.8
6.8
n/r
n/r
4.7
n/r
n/r
n/r
n/r
n/r
n/r
0.9
31.1
1.3
n/r
n/r
Data
Status
2
2
2
2
2
-99
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
-99
-99
-99
-99
-99
-99
-99
-99
-99
2.15
2.99
8.11
3.49
2.12
1.23
2.16
1.32
1.24
0.03
0.05
8-Jun
9-Jun
10-Jun
16-Jun
17-Jun
18-Jun
2.95
5.18
4.15
2.17
2.84
4.95
3.70
5.17
4.00
2.81
2.85
5.08
4.07
2.13
2.80
4.80
3.60
5.07
4.08
2.89
3.16
4.87
4.00
2.07
2.74
4.70
3.50
4.97
3.98
2.80
3.44
4.99
3.95
1.96
2.63
4.52
3.42
4.90
3.88
2.70
2.39
3.02
8.25
3.57
2.15
1.26
2.16
1.35
1.26
0.08
0.04
2.62
3.05
8.36
3.67
2.20
1.31
2.18
1.37
1.28
0.12
0.07
2.70
3.22
8.40
3.75
2.25
1.36
2.21
1.41
1.30
0.15
0.13
2.60
3.23
8.40
3.80
2.30
1.40
2.25
1.44
1.32
0.22
0.19
Forecasted discharges
Observed discharges
7-Jun
15-Jun
11-Jun
12-Jun
13-Jun
14-Jun
15-Jun
16-Jun
17-Jun
18-Jun
1666
1543
1250
1517
1509
1849
1637
1308
1506
1489
1858
1941
1504
1596
1535
1778
2220
1710
1786
1717
1752
2334
1943
1939
1873
2040
2327
2262
2073
1990
1778
2220
1710
2258
2164
1752
2091
1684
2200
2111
1674
1972
1594
2164
2078
1589
1911
1556
2136
2053
1858
1786
1522
2094
2015
2115
1856
1499
2019
1946
3451
2997
2832
3164
2814
106
2882
3801
3365
2958
2792
3002
2998
102
3179
3906
3656
3360
2873
3045
3035
98
3255
4335
3835
3542
3050
3178
3022
91
3255
4741
4270
3934
3205
3223
3136
88
3331
5005
5271
4875
3660
3798
3394
85
3525
5043
5990
5554
4455
4654
3342
93
3803
5158
6177
6128
5180
5266
6365
6312
5636
5735
6177
6128
5786
5889
5990
5946
5599
5716
5843
5820
5415
5527
4318
5351
4833
5469
5346
5587
5528
6271
5300
6312
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
13
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

IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Used to examine spatial
patterns and trends in WQ
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
14
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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
15
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…?)
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
16
Institutional and technical mechanisms

Improving conditions for data exchange
and sharing
– Regional forum for D&I 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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
17
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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
18
Continuity: management of networks

O&M closely related to
sustainability of financial and
human resources

O&M 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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
19
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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
20
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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
21
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
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
22
IWG-Env International Work Session on Water Statistics, Vienna, June 20-22, 2005
Ulf Hedlund, MRC Secretariat
23