Presentation delivered to the 'Sustainable Uses of Mekong Water Resources’ held at Can Tho University, April 22-23, 2016.

1. Research for Change
Dr Kim Geheb, Regional Coordinator
k.geheb@gmail.com
Mekong: the Challenges of Scale

2. A set of interacting or interdependent
component parts forming an intricate whole.
Every system is delineated by its spatial and
temporal boundaries, surrounded and
influenced by its environment, described by its
structure and purpose, and expressing in its
functioning.
System

3. One dam in Xe Bang Hieng

4. 2,492 weirs in Xe Bang Hieng

5. HP Development, Yunnan, China
Hennig, T. 2012. Implications of Yunnan's aggressive hydropower development on
regional food security, changing land utilization and livelihood: China’s Irrawaddy
watershed. Paper presented at Stockholm World Water Week, 28 August, 2012.

6. 500#
1000#
1500#
2200#
2300#
1200# 1000# 800# 600# 400# 200# 0#
Eleva/on#(m)#
Distance#from#border#(km)#
Mensong#(cancelled)#
Ganlanba#
Jinghong#
Nuozhadu#
Dachaoshan#
Manwan#
Xiaowan#
Gongguoqiao#
Tiemenkan#(cancelled)#
Huangdeng#
Tuoba#
Wunonglong#
Jiabi#
Longqingxia#
Lancang cascade

7. Nam Ngum River Basin
If managed and
coordinated as a
system, Nam Ngum’s
hydropower
development values
to society would
increase by 3–12%
(US$12-53
million/yr)*.
* Jeuland, M., Baker, J.,
Bartlett, R. and Lacombe, G.
2014. The costs of
uncoordinated infrastructure
management in multi-
reservoir river basins.
Environ. Res. Lett. 9 (2014)

8. Dam MW Share holders
Nam Ngum 1 149 EdL Gen (100%)
Nam Ngum 2 615 EdL Gen 20%, Ch. Karnchang (Thailand) 28.5%, Ratchaburi
(Thailand) 25%, + 3 more companies (26.5%)
Nam Ngum 3 480 GMS Lao Company Limited (27%), Ratchaburi Electricity
Generating Holding Public Limited Company (25%), Axia Power
Holdings B.V. (25%), Lao Holding State Enterprise (23%)
Nam Ngum 4 220 ? Proposed dam; development by a Lao company.
Nam Ngum 5 120 EDL (Laos) 15%, Sinohydro (China) 85%
Nam Ngum 1 Exp. 120 EdL Gen (100%)
Nam Mang 1 64 Don Fang 75%, A&C 10.75%, EdL 10%, + one other 10%.
Nam Mang 3 40 EdL (100%)
Nam Bak 1 160 ? Planned dam
Nam Bak 2 80 ? Planned dam
Nam Lik 1 64 POSCO E&C: 10%; PTTI: 40%; HEC: 40%; EdL: 10%
Nam Lik 1/2 100 EdL Gen (20%), Hydro Engineering Co. (80%)
Nam Ngum: Huge diversity

9. …there is often no serious assessment for developing a
holistic concept of the entire watershed including all
tributaries. This concept should go far beyond
hydropower development and create an innovative
management model, which considers water,
environment, livelihood, food security, etc.”
Hennig, T., Wang, W., Feng, Y., Ou, X. and He, D. 2013. Review of Yunnan's
hydropower development. Comparing small and large hydropower projects
regarding their environmental implications and socio-economic consequences.
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 27 (2013) 585–595.
Planning shortfalls
“

10. Impact assessments
 Never ‘whole system’.
 Restricted number of
variables.
 Focus only on variables
for which there is some
or partial data.
 Land use change, food
production, benefit
sharing and/or
ecosystem services very
rarely considered.

11. Thank you for listening
https://wle-mekong.cgiar.org