Chao Phraya river basin

Matthias Bethlehem

Jan Fliervoet

Irenee Sicard

Context

Introduction Sustainability vision Baseline analysis Action plan Conclusion

Introduction

Chao Phraya river basin

- catchment area: 160.000km²

- entirely located in Thailand

- drains into the Gulf of Thailand/Pacific ocean

- consists of 8 sub-basins

- four large tributaries (Ping, Wang, Yom, Nan)

- Bangkok is located near the mouth

(>8M inhabitants)

- Chiang Mai (2nd largest city) is located at the

upper part of the basin

Water related issues

Water scarcity and/or water allocation High variation in rainfall due to Monsoon climate Floods Organic and bacterial pollution Heavy industrial and domestic pollution in the Delta parts Decreasing groundwater level and pollution (salinity due to the

intrusion of sodium and chloride) Deforestation and its conversion to agricultural use in the upper

parts Soil erosion Equitability among stakeholders Sustainability for the basin’s aquatic environment Enable navigation even in dry season Water for energy purposes Water for industrial purposes Water for cities

Sutainability vision

Sustainable society Awareness Strong leadership People are not subject to conditions that systematically

undermine their capacity to meet their needs. Sustainable river

System thinking, including cycles of nature Decentralization of water management

Decrease concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust.

Decrease concentrations of substances produced by society.

Decrease degradation by physical means.

Scale Private Public

Local(operational)

FarmersØ Rice farmersØ Tobacco and vegetables farmersØ FisheriesRural businesses Irrigational businesses Businesses dependent on water

Agricultural extension agentsØ Community based organisations

Regional/State(implementation)

BusinessesØ Businesses dependent on waterØ Navigational businessesAgricultural extension and technical officersØ Private consultants OrganisationsØ Nan Civil Society Co-ordination Centre

(NCSCC)Ø Hak Muang Nan group (students)

State officials (agricultural extensions and technical officers)Ø National Parks and Wildlife servicesØ State forestsØ Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA)Regional basin management organisationsØ All Sub-River Basin CommitteesAcademics

National(strategic/policy)

National businessesØ Bangkok industrial and domestic usersOrganisationsØ World Water Assessment Programme

(WWAP)MediaØ National newspapers, television and radio

stations

Officials and programmes in federal organisations Chao Phraya River Basin Committee Office of Natural Water Resources Committee (ONWRC)

of Thailand Department of Water Resources Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand (EGAT) Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). Royal Irrigation Department (RID) Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA)

Global (strategic/policy)

International agribusinesses Academics and researchers Australian Mekong Research Centre (AMRC) United Nations (World Water Development Report)Philanthropic organisationsØ International NGOs (e.g. WWF)

Determine important stakeholders

Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand (EGAT)

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE)

Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) Farmers Industry

Determine flowsNeeds Input Output Waste What is lost

Domestic water

Surface- and groundwater (purification processes)

Drinking water Sewage water Water quantity and quality

Irrigation Surface- and groundwater

Food Organic and chemical polluted water

Water quantity and quality

Industrial water

Surface- and groundwater

Diverse products Chemical polluted water

Water quantity and quality

Hydropower Surface water Electricity Environmental barrier Land area, migration routes, traditional techniques of irrigation, natural river flow

Navigation Surface water Water as a transport medium

Polluted surface water Water quality

Fisheries Surface water Food Organic pollution Water quality, biodiversity

SC - Analysis

SC 1: nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust

Negative aspects:- Fast extraction of groundwater

Positive apects:- no fossil fuels extracted

SC - Analysis

SC 2: nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances produced by society

Negative aspects:- Agricultural, industrial, and domestic waste- Navigation

SC - Analysis

SC 3: nature is not subject to systematically increasing degradation by physical means.

Negative aspects:- Deforestation (upper areas)- Natural river flow

Positive apects:- Ecosystem diveristy is still available.

SC - Analysis

SC 4: In that society people are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs.

Negative aspects:- Not equally distribution of resources and economic wealth

Positive aspects:- Economic development

Key areas

Improvement of the surface water quality and quantity. Urban areas Rural areas

Action plan

3 short-term actions

Build watertreatment plants (in the cities) Semi-flexible Improve water quality

Improvement of water infrastructure in the cities. Semi-flexible Improve water quantity

Increase forestation Flexible Reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and

quantity

Action plan

3 long-term actions

Adapt land-use (use less water for agricultural activities) Flexible Secure food supply Agricultural sector

Reduce use of groundwater resources by increase of water infrastructure in the whole basin. Flexible Less independent on groundwater resources The industrial, domestic and agricultural stakeholders.

Install water pricing for irrigation (Payment for Ecosystem Services PES) Flexible Improvement of water quality and quantity Agricultural stakeholders.

Conclusion

Improve education and communication between stakeholders.

More awareness about water related problems