Perspective Proposed Research for Cambodia
Water Resources Assessment for Future Water Demand
and Resource Protection in the 4-Ps River Basins, Cambodia
I. Introduction
Beneficial and sustainable resource governance can form
the basis for access to water for safe and sustainable use for domestic
consumption, agricultural production, environmental protection and electricity
generation. Water supplies are the most essential in supporting food production
and industrial activities. Moreover, irrigation is required to meet the demand
of agriculture, but surface water supplies are also characterized as scarce and
unreliable. Consequently, local farmers consider it necessary to create a
dependable water supply, which is adequate and in a desired location. Then,
groundwater has become the important resource used for domestic, agriculture
and industries’ needs.
Water resources assessment and evaluation, emphasis is
placed on quantity and quality of both surface water and groundwater. The
chemical composition of water is an important factor to be considered before it
is used for domestic or irrigation purpose (Suresh et al., 1991).
The 4-Ps Area has its name from four preks (small rivers)
discharging into the Mekong: Prek Preah, Prek Krieng, Prek Kampi and Prek Te
(see the Figure 2). Water and related resources of the 4-Ps basin are
underdeveloped. The large majorities of the basin populations still live in
poor rural areas as subsistence rice farmers depending principally on natural
conditions, and isolated from market and social facilities. For water development
and management of the 4-Ps area need be identified and further investigated for
their viability which further studies are required.
II. Significance
of the Problem
The 4-Ps basin is the least
developed region of the country dominated by the Mondulkiri plateau and
surrounding hilly areas covered mainly by deciduous and degraded deciduous
forest with sparse subsistence land occupation. The upper part of the basin
topography with relatively deep river valleys offers suitable sites for water
storage reservoirs for irrigation, hydro power, domestic water supply or river
flow regulation. The four river course draining the four basins crosses many
small deep pools and rapids suitable for water storage and flow regulation for
development as well as for environment and biological protection. At their
junction with the Mekong, the flows of the 4 Preks are affected by the Mekong
flood.
Most of the existing water
infrastructures consist of small water storage reservoirs on tributaries of the
4 Preks and are mainly concentrated in their lower parts. They are poorly
designed and built with an extremely limited number of distribution canals.
Nearly all of them are ether without appropriate water control infrastructures,
or the existing ones are damaged through years of neglect and little use. Local
communities have no technical and financial capacity for meaningful
participation in the rehabilitation and improvement of the systems or even
formulating their needs. While water and related resources of the 4-Ps have not
been effectively used for the benefit of the communities, rapid land use
changes due to external pressure (such as forest concession, economic land
concessions and mining concessions) put natural resources and the fragile
environment of the basin further at risk of accelerating degradation. With
rapid land cover change and unorganized development risk of calamities such as
droughts and floods, other man-made hazards are also increasing.
Despite being relatively rich in
natural resources and a low population density, the 4-Ps Area remains the
poorest region of the country. While most people are still living below the
poverty line depending principally on natural conditions such as NTFP and
capture fisheries for their livelihoods, infrastructure for water resources
development and management and communication are low including human development
index.
Rural households are very
commonly engaged in crop production, most typically rice production to grow
their own food and for cash income at least for one season per year. Most food
crop production is rain-fed and is confined to the wet season. Further, in the
area rainfall is irregular and unreliable. With74% of households producing crop
in the wet season compared to only 3% of households in the dry season. This limitation imposed through dependency on
rain-fed crop cultivation is clearly contributing to shortages in food
availability. The area of rice harvested in Mondulkiri in 2004 was reduced
substantially through destruction of part of the cultivated area due to flood,
drought or insects. At the province level overall the rice balance falls below
the minimum rice food needs of the population. Among the communes of the
province 10% of communes produce enough rice to meet minimum food needs while 90%
produce less than minimum food needs.
Integrated Water Resources
Management (IWRM), which is an approach to action, aims to ensure the
co-ordinated development and management of water, land and related resources by
maximizing economic and social welfare without compromising the sustainability
of vital ecosystems will be applied to tackles the problems in the proposed
study area. It is also apparent that to stop the water resource degradation and
mitigate the future strains, the knowledge and understanding of the water
dynamics and behavior in the whole basin are essential.
Research in the areas of water resources
management, operational hydrology and water quality modeling has traditionally
followed the same line of sector thinking. The studies that include the
coupling between ground water, surface water, land use, environment and
socio-economic development are fewer in numbers. By having a good land use management and
planning in the Lower Mekong Basin, we can minimize the impact from dam. This
specific study area could represent the way to make the land use planning in
the whole LMB because the strangely impact of dam is normally occurred in the
same way along the main stream as well as it tributary. It would be a
substantial contribution to decision-making tool for natural resource
management.
Furthermore, this research will
directly support the Royal Government in its effort for achieving the national
MDGs, the National Strategy for Poverty Reduction and the Rectangular Strategy
as well as the implementation of IWRM as national and international policies on
sustainable water resources management and development.
III.
Background and National/International Project
Since 2007, the potential for water-related development in
the 4-Ps area has been studied by Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC) in
collaboration with local provinces authorities. The work has been conducted
with support from Global Water Partnership (GWP) and ADB (under its RETA 6325,
“Promoting effective water policies and practices”, and RETA 6470, “Managing
water in Asia's river basins”), as well as the Basin Development Plan produced
by Mekong River Commission in collaboration with the National Mekong
Committees.
RETA 6470
aims to encourage further basin water investments under ADB's Water Financing
Program and to demonstrate good IWRM practices in river basins across the region.
It is financed with a grant from the Japan Special Fund made available by the
Government of Japan Pilot activities are conducted in river basins in Cambodia
(the 4Ps Area of Prek Preah, Prek Krieng, Prek Kampi, and Prek Te), Indonesia
(Bengawan Solo), India Orissa (Baitarani), the Philippines (Central Cebu), and
Viet Nam (Vu Gia-Thu Bon).
The 4-Ps
Basin Pilot Project was implemented for formulation of Development Roadmap and
updating the 4-Ps Basin Profile by CNMC/ Cambodia Water Partnership (CamboWP) with
cooperation from national line agencies and provincial authorities, and related
stakeholders. The roadmap is guided by a vision of a healthy river basin
with integrated sustainable development plans implemented jointly by the people
and the government primarily for the benefit of the 4Ps people. Three goals
have been defined in support of the vision:
• Improved
water security;
• Economic
development, livelihoods and social welfare; and
In order to contribute and engage with national
development roadmap of 4-Ps basins, this perspective proposed research will be
conduct and hosted by Cambodian National Mekong Committee. By the way, this
research outcome will meet the first goal of basin development which is
“Improved water security” and a water supply is the initiative development,
recommended to reach this goal.
IV. Specific
Objectives to Be Addressed
This research is concerning on water resources management.
The overall aim of the project is to facilitate the regional water administration
with advanced state-of the-art tools for integrated assessment of future land
use and development, water demand and resource protection in the 4-Ps basin.
The specific objectives are mentioned below:
1.
To develop a coherent and comprehensive database
of historical (spatial and temporal) data on water resources (quantity and
quality) and water use in 4-Ps Basin.
2.
To determine the natural behavior and to reveal
the natural variations and human influence (water and land use changes) in the
water resources regime.
3.
To evaluate and predict future trends and
changes in water use/supply/demand in the river basin as function of
demographic and socio-economic development and changes in land use.
4.
To assess the water resource potential including
analysis of trends in water balance and optimal water allocation under constraints
of sustainability.
All these four objectives will be addressed in research
result by carry out groundwater resources assessment, surface water resources
assessment, clean water demand projection, watershed and groundwater modeling
and also recommendation outline of water resources management proper irrigation
technique in 4-Ps Basin area.
V. Research Area
The 4-Ps area is located on the east (or left) bank of the
Mekong. It covers parts of Kratie and Mondulkiri provinces of Cambodia and is
located within Sub-Area 8C of the Basin Development Plan prepared for the Lower
Mekong Basin by Mekong River Commission.
This area is shear of two provinces which are Kratie
Province: 7,000 km2 (63% of the area of the province) and Mondulkiri
Province: 5,470 km2 (38% of the area of the province). So the total area of 4-Ps
sub-basin is 12,470 km (8% of the area of Cambodia).
 |
| Figure 1: Location
of 4-Ps Area |
 |
Figure
2: 4-Ps Area formed by sub-basin of 4 Preks (small
rivers)
|
VI. Brief on Research
Methodology
This research is technically aimed to prevent water
resources degradation and to assess the water resources for improving water
security and agricultural ability by recommending the sustainable groundwater use
alternative source based on safe yield concept and proper irrigation technique.
Consequently, to overcome the problems
mentioned above, research will be determine into four research stage. A brief summary
on the method would be applied in the proposed study are described below.
Stage 1: Data Collection and Organization of the Integrated
Database
Only some mount of observation and measurement and
statistical data is available in the study area depending on National Pilot
Project of the 4-Ps Basin Profile implemented by CNMC/ Cambodia Water
Partnership (CamboWP) with cooperation from national line agencies and provincial
authorities, and related stakeholders. It includes some information on rainfall,
irrigation schemes, land use, soil and there are few hydrogeological studies in
the area; the first one was the works of Rasmussen in 1960’s. The Mekong
Committee Secretariat has published a geological map (scale 1:1,000,000) in
1992 and JICA studies cover a strip of the Mekong flood plain.
However, the data and information is not sufficient and
not integrated but most of them are separately distributed in several water
institutions and administration archives and divided in sectors. Therefore, primary
data collection must be done for analysis especially groundwater data.
In order to obtain comprehensive information of the
existing water resources conditions in the study area, the data should be
integrated in one database (GlS software will be used in this stage). The database
system for basin management is very import. The additional data collection will
be made. In the data collection field work equipment that will be needed are Automatic
Water Level Recorder (AWLR) on new several observation points (water quantity
purposes), water test kit (water quality purposes) and other kind of water
sample taking and some tests shall be done such as pumping test. The outcome of
this stage will be digital data on the existing water resources regime and
water use for presentation in different form and for input in the computational
models.
 |
Figure 3: Process diagram of 1st
stage (Data Collection and Organization of the Integrated Database
|
Stage 2: Water Resource Potential and the Analysis
of Trends in Water Balance
This activity is commenced by carrying out a literature review
and desk study in order to identify the gaps of knowledge and data that
collected on stage 1. Numerical models will simulate the dynamic of surface water
and groundwater as well as the water balance conditions. The model alternatives
to be used are WMS (Watershed Modeling System) developed by Scientific software
and Visual MODFLOW developed by Waterloo Hydrogeologic Software. These models can
be used for modeling watershed and groundwater flow. As a first step, the
selected model will be calibrated then validated by using data obtained from field
monitoring. Key factors controlling the water balance will be assessed and the
trend of water balance in response to the land use change will be predicted.
The calibrated models will allow risk and sensitivity analysis to assess the
vulnerability of the basin in response to land use changes.
 |
Figure 4: Process diagram of 2nd stage (Water
Resource Potential and the Analysis of Trends in Water Balance
|
Stage 3: Analysis and Evaluation of the Water Use
Determination of clean water demand projection for
domestic and industrial use. Clean Water in this study is water for house hold
(domestic), industries, public service (non-domestic/commercial). Water demand
for irrigation is calculated on the technical report of surface water resources
assessment. Quality will be evaluated based on the National Guideline for Clean
Water. The water quality map will be produced visual output. Quantity of the
water uses will be calculated empirically based on the existing data collected from
institutional survey. Afterwards, future trend of the water uses will be
predicted by analytical approach statistical analysis.
 |
Figure 5: Analysis and Evaluation of the Water
Use
|
Stage 4: Influence of Water Use in Water Resources
Degradation
Sources of modifications in the water regime will be
identified and quantified. Trends in water use compared with the water
resources will give the future water balance and it will be predicted in terms of
time and space.
The output of this activity will be the visual and digital
presentations and reports on the existing and predicted zones of water
resources degradation, together with the existing and predicted quantity of the
degradation. Scenarios for overcoming such degradation can be suggested.
VII. Outputs Expected from the Research Project
The expected outputs from the research which complied with
the IWRM approach have the following components:
1. An
integrated information system and database development and management that is
reliable and highly valid, for general and special requirements of watershed management.
2. A
developed analysis/decision support system interacting water resources elements
that facilitate the investment on water and agricultural development and
furthers research.
3. Recommendation
and guidelines for integrated watershed management in 4-Ps Basin within the
Mekong River Sub-basin context. Make suggestion to the local farmers for proper
irrigation technique in order to increase agricultural product.
VIII. Conclusion and Perspective
By putting concern to the grand challenges of
creating sustainable livelihood and safeguarding the environment, we need to
take consideration on food and water security. Accordingly, this proposed research
arouses my interest a lot because it completely address the mentioned significant
problem in the area and it will directly support the Royal Government in its
effort for achieving the national MDGs with poverty reduction policy and plans.
Thereby, this research also deals with the future mitigation of impact along
the Mekong River and its tributary due to main stream dam. I strongly believe
that this research will contribute as a good experience and lesson learnt to
sustainable development in the region.
“TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND LIVELIHOOD IN ASEAN”
Faculty of Engineering,
Gadjah Mada University,
Jl. Grafika No. 02,
Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Note: Information about 4-Ps is received from CNMC.
