DMS project: Indicator and socio-economics report

by Juha Sarkkula and Jorma Koponen (2010)

Summary of the hydropower development socio-economic impacts

Socio-economic consequences of coastal erosion and Delta morphological changes are potentially very large.
Estimated fisheries losses due to hydropower development range from $2.5 to $7.6 billion US dollars annually depending on the development option and system sensitivity to nutrient losses.
Current value of lost phosphorus is $87 - $150 million USD annually, but the price will probably go up sharply in the future.
The estimated value of reservoir fish production is $120 million US dollars; the actual numbers may differ because the conditions and productivity potential of the reservoirs need to be analysed.
Mitigation measures such as rice fish, aquaculture and increased irrigation have some potential, but are in practice often limited by economic, environmental and technical realities.
Large differences exist between different economic evaluations of the net hydropower benefits; these should be clarified.
Monetary values don't capture the full importance of fisheries; often the most poor and vulnerable part of the population is directly dependent on natural resources; it would be major task trying to find alternative source of income and animal protein for instance for the 1.2 million people living on the lake and floodplains of the Tonle Sap.

This ‘indicator and socio-economics report’ has five companion reports: DMS final report, capacity building, sediments, IWRM (integrated water resource management) and primary and fish production.