DMS project: IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management) modelling report

by Juha Sarkkula, Jorma Koponen, Hannu Lauri and Markku Virtanen (2010)

The DMS project

The project “Detailed modelling Support to the MRC” is executed under the IKMP/Component 4 (Modelling). It responds to the acute basin development issues and the extensive model services needs of the MRC Programmes and the member countries. The work is based on holistic and cross-cutting approach and team work. The general objectives of the work are:

1. Provision of comprehensive tools and data for hydrological, environmental and socio-economic impact assessment of ongoing and planned basin developments
2. Support of riparian countries and MRC programmes capacity in modelling and impact assessment
3. Promotion of cross-programme, cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral cooperation, coordination and integration through focused group work.

The project objectives are reached through a sequential process starting from (i) tools adjustment and integration, continuing in (ii) clarifying of the central Mekong processes and development impact on them and ending on (iii) socio-economic consequence analysis. The process analysis is based on the use of existing and adjusted tools forming the IWRM-tool and offering a platform for the programmes to cooperate in an integrated and coordinated way. The process and socio-economic analysis results have been integrated in the IWRM modelling framework.

The project work is organised around “Work Groups” indicating both cross-cutting themes and cooperative groups participating in the theme work. The suggested Work Groups and involved MRC programmes are:

1. IWRM-tool (EP, BDP, IKMP)
2. Sediments (EP, BDP, SHI, IKMP)
3. Forestry and agriculture productivity (AIFP, BDP, IKMP)
4. Fisheries (FP, EP, BDP)
5. Socio-economics (EP, BDP, FP (SHI, NP, FMMP, IKMP)

Basin wide IWRM-tool group consists of three components – (i) IWRM watershed-scale tool, (ii) IWRM basin-wide tool and (iii) IBFM integration in the model system. Sediment relates to watershed erosion, agriculture and forestry practices, sediment transport, sedimentation and erosion in the river channels, river morphology changes, lake sediment balance, sedimentation in the floodplains, sediment trapping by small and large scale dams, sources and fate of different quality sediments, sediments and primary productivity and coastal erosion. Forestry and agriculture productivity activities link AIFP activities to other MRC activities such as IWRM-tool and sediment studies. Fisheries component starts with primary productivity and habitat modelling. Primary productivity has been connected to the fisheries productivity in close cooperation with the Fisheries Programme. Socio-economics activities include inclusion of (i) monetary cost and benefits and (ii) livelihoods and well-being dependency on natural resources in the modelling framework and support for BDP2 development scenario impact assessment. Climate changes studies are an integral part of the entire group. This report is result of the Work Package 2 of the DMS-project. The Work Package is divided into five sub-packages:

1. IWRM-tool
2. Indicator framework integration and socio-economics
3. Sediments
4. Productivity and fisheries
5. Management, cooperation, liaison, group work and capacity building

These sub-tasks cover the five main project themes except the “Forestry and agriculture productivity.” This report presents mainly methodology and results of the two first sub-tasks, that is IWRM-tool and Indicator framework integration. The Sediments, Productivity and Fisheries sub-task and Capacity building are reported separately.

This ‘IWRM report’ has five companion reports: DMS final report, capacity building, sediments, primary and fish production and socio-economics.