2. Outline of presentation National Overview National Water Resources Policy National Water Resources Legislation Framework Institutional Framework Water Resources Status Country Investment in Water Resources Demand Management Burning Issues, Hot Spots and Critical Challenges The Way Forward
7. The Mekong tributaries within the Lao territory is 35% or equal 270,000 million m3 of the average annual flow of the whole Mekong Basin
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9. The target of GOL by 2010 are Eliminating shifting cultivation and providing clean water for everyone
10. National development by management of water resources in an effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable
11. Institutional arrangement in the water sector, especially coordination mechanism and technical capacity, were considerably at the primary level and insufficient to cope with existing circumstances
12. In terms of institutional functions Lao National Mekong Committee also established in the year 1995. Water Resources Coordination Committee and its secretariat was established in 1997
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14. 2 National Water Resources Policy(Cont) Policy on Water and Water Resources in 2000 Principles on water and water resources management; Water source development and management; Public involvement; Financial resources for water source development and management; Water allocation, quality management and use; Data and information management; and Capacity building and human resources development. Other principles are to ensure the sustainability of water sources, coordination arrangements are to be identified and established between water and water resource and land and forest sub-sectors of the economy Increasing water use efficiency, and to ensure environmental sustainability, coordination systems are to be established among the water and water resource sub-sectors and among the different provinces on the management, development, exploitation and use of water.
15. 2 National Water Resources Policy(Cont) There was given priority for investment especially, hydropower, irrigation urban and rural water. User contributions usually needed and management transferred to direct beneficiaries where suitable. Use charges structured to enhance effectiveness are to consider capability to pay Private sectors and investors from oversea will be encouraged to investment Data collection to be prioritized for control the conflicts. In 2009, water resources policy (WRP) has been development New policy objectives is achieving social fairness and a balance between economic outcomes and environmental protection. Draft National Water Resources Strategy and Action Plan for the Years 2011 to 2015 are also developed Nine related programs which will be implemented to achieve the objectives of the Policy The Draft National Water Resources Policy, Strategy and Action Plan 2011 – 2015 (NWRPSAP) have not been yet officially approved by the Government
16. 3. National Water Resources Legislation Framework Decree on Implementation of the Law on Water and Water Resources LWWR had introduced the root of Integrated Water Resources Management More detail of LWWR as such: The ownership of water resources, National and river planning, Monitoring and assessment of water resources, Water resource allocation according to integrated river basin plans, A specialized funding mechanism, Public consultation requirements and Watershed protection.
17. 3. National Water Resources Legislation Framework (Cont) However, some problems on water resources management are still occurred: Incomplete policies and secondary legislation Gaps and areas of the law which are unclear in some points: It is not clear whether it is supposed to set out some definitions or to be statement of fact The use of the notion water ‘source’. The key issue is that water flows. For the purpose of management water quality it can sometimes be useful to manage water in terms of water bodies (such as lakes or reservoirs) or the separate reaches of a river There is no sense of scale: all are water sources. The notion of the catchment is important but this definition in this law needs to be strengthened to focus on the notion of drainages/surface run-off.
18. 3. National Water Resources Legislation Framework (Cont) One of the most important in this law is specifying of water and water resources ownership: The notion that water is owned by the national community represented by the State is sound: in reality it is difficult to conceive of the ownership of water in the natural state and this approach is elegant and effective However, it had started well; the article creates a basic problem in providing that the right to control and use water is to be based on approvals given by relevant authorized agencies, without specifying who those agencies are. Water Source Type it seems to provide for the establishment of a system of functional zoning. However the notion of ‘water source’ (rivers, small waterways tributaries, ponds, canals, swamps, bogs, springs) is probably not adequate for this purpose.
19. 3. National Water Resources Legislation Framework (Cont) Regarding to Determination of water and water resources allocation is not clear what ‘plan’ is being referred. Moreover the law does not specify how the Government is to make decisions on the distribution of water and water resources. Regarding to the Objectives of Water and Water Resources Use Paragraph one does not really create a legal rule: rather it is a statement of the obvious Particularly it does really specify what the use of water actually comprises: the use of water for family consumption is qualitatively different to its use for hydropower generation. There are unclear on the word as water may be used for any purpose ‘if appropriate’. What does appropriate mean, how is a determination to be made as to the appropriateness of a proposed use and by whom?
20. 3. National Water Resources Legislation Framework (Cont) In terms of right to use water and water resources. There is Categorizing water into different types of use by reference to scale. Usual practice though is to distinguish between ‘free uses’ of water that do not require authorization and other types that do. In terms of the distinction between medium scale and large scale use the distinction is not between the volume of water used but the size of any investment needed for the use. It would be better to specify that rather use this somewhat general terms. Apart from the fact that its scope is perhaps a little narrow, focusing only on drinking water sources for urban areas In terms of water quality standards are need not only for drinking water while in terms of used water what are really required are discharge standards that specify the concentration and load of pollutants.
21. 3. National Water Resources Legislation Framework (Cont) This law was specified a concept about the right for water usage however: There is no given the priority to any type of use, Except the use of water for electricity production and for irrigation is subjected to specific regulations. It was also specified a concept of Funds for the Preservation of Water and Water Resources to which the water and water resources users and those conducting water sources development activities must contribute.
22. The notion of the catchment is important but this definition needs to be strengthened to focus on the notion of drainages/surface run-off. 4. Institutional Framework Water and water resources management in Lao PDR is responsible by fairly large number of ministries and agencies as well as provincial and other local agencies, also for the provision of water-related services Refer to the Prime Minister’s Decree on Implementation Law on Water and Water Resources, this decree defined the responsibilities of each water related sectors as follow:
26. The WRCC mandate is directed toward national water resource management while the LNMC deals more with international aspects therefore this is not a clear separation
27. These organizations are quite small and lack of legal powers including capacity to carry out coordination of other ministries and agencies.
28. Provinces need to consider ways to strengthen and coordinate their water related planning and management. There is also a need for better coordination between provinces which share a river basin, through a river basin organization or other mechanism.
29. WREA which was established in May 2007 and which is headed by a Minister under the Prime Minister’s Office
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31. Average River outflow to Other Countries 18 km3, to Vietnam ( From outside the Mekong River basin) , 1330 mm or 29 km3, to Cambodia in the Sekong River basin and 600 mm or 330 km3, to Cambodia in the Mekong River.
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33. Hydropower generation has been developed to less than 8% of its estimated national potential.
42. Encourage food and commercial production to establish food security by ensuring rice and food supply to the whole country and promote export of agricultural commodities.
48. Which represents an increase of 3.6 times in comparison with the previous period.
49. Of this amount 62,4% will be allocated to the infrastructure construction,
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51. Hydropower development contributes to the Government’s overall economic goals and amount to approximately $22 million US, of which $18.7 million came from grants and $3.3 million from soft loans.
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53. National water-related goals include some specific targets for water and watershed management, including elimination of shifting cultivation and providing clean water to everyone by 2010.
54. They also include goals which directly or indirectly depend on water resource management including:
60. There is specific issues on coordination and also on project design and implementation;
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62. Regarding to economic development the number of industrial especially tree plantation in many part of the country are increase, such as teak, rubber, paper pulp and others these are the main cause of natural forest encroachment, change of land use and soil erosion;
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64. In some areas, where accessible to sedimentation of gold along streams and rivers, local people have traditional gold mining practices long time ago.
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66. 8. The Way Forward Regarding to future water resources management, priority activities needed to achieve water security and keep up sustainability. To achieve this objective new policies and legal will be study to priority its activities and report in this section. The Mekong Integrated Water Resources Management Project (M-IWRMP) Development Objective is to support integrated water resources management in the Lower Mekong Basin through improving integration of water resources management from the regional level to the community level, taking into consideration downstream impacts and benefits.
67. 8. The Way Forward To promote integrated water resources management in the Lower Mekong Basin through improving integration of water resources management from the regional level to the community level, considering downstream impacts and benefits. In order to achieve this objective, the APL is designed to: support implementation of tools for integrated water resource and natural disaster risk management, mainly floods and droughts in the LMB countries; improve institutional capacity for integrated water resources management in selected countries, including strengthening hydro-met systems; and support improved river basin, floodplain management and management of aquatic resources for regional environmental benefits and the enhancement of rural livelihoods in pilot areas.
68. 8. The Way Forward The NIWRMSP will prepare in 2011-2015 and will base on earlier MWRAS studies which review IWRM capacity in the Lao PDR. The NIWRMSP comprises the following elements and the development partners shown in the Table have indicate their interest in supporting.
69. References WREA, Lao PDR (2010). Final Report on Updating the National Water Resources Policy and Strategy. Committee for Planning and investment, Lao PDR (2006). National Socio Economic Development Plan. WRCCS, Lao PDR (2007). National Water Sector Profile. National Assembly, Lao PDR (1996). Water and Water Resources Law. STEA, Lao PDR (2001). Decree to Implementation Water and Water Resources Law. WREA, Lao PDR (2010). Final Report on Updating the National Water Resources Policy and Strategy.
