MEKONG RIVER COMMISSION RIVER BASIN PLANNING - MODULE 1 INTRODUCTION Can Tho, Vietnam January 2003 Refining Objectives and Developing Scenarios

When is a Basin Agreement Successful? BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS When is a Basin Agreement Successful? When we can achieve things together that we cannot achieve on our own. When all parties believe they are receiving benefit from the agreement.

The Rules of Success in Basin Management BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS The Rules of Success in Basin Management Basin agreements survive and succeed when they support ‘mutual self-interest’ Sovereign rights are a vital matter, and must be respected There is no progress until the most reluctant partner agrees Progress will stall without mutual trust, respect and confidence

The Mekong Basin Development Plan BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS The Mekong Basin Development Plan The Inception Report shows that BDP is planned to include both: A basin planning process; and A short list of high priority projects agreed by the four governments. This presentation concentrates on the processes leading to the short list.

Two Key Development Questions BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS Two Key Development Questions For the various potential developments that are being proposed within the Mekong Basin, the planning process must answer two key questions: Which development proposals are acceptable and which are unacceptable? Which acceptable proposals are “better” than other acceptable proposals? The answer to both questions lies in the extent to which the proposals meet Basin objectives. There is no mandate to move beyond these.

MRC Objectives are Mandatory but May Be Too Broad for Detailed Planning BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS MRC Objectives are Mandatory but May Be Too Broad for Detailed Planning A significant task is to develop sub-objectives that are detailed enough to help answer at least the first key question. For example: “minimising harmful effects of man-made activities” could include as sub-objectives: –all structures within designated rivers must provide fish passage; –net extractions of water are not to exceed 30% of long-term average flows; –irrigation developments should not alter the reliability of town water supplies from the same source.

The Minimum Necessary Sub-objectives BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS The Minimum Necessary Sub-objectives It is tempting to become too detailed in the initial broad planning stages. Basin planning is about identifying preferable projects that meet basin objectives, not doing the detailed EIS needed for project planning. Basin partners need to negotiate and agree on the smallest possible set of sub-objectives. The sub-objectives need validating by testing them against possible scenarios. Agreeing on sub-objectives is best done by means of a participatory process.

What Do We Mean by a Scenario? BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS What Do We Mean by a Scenario? A scenario is a description of a specific set of future events and circumstances. It is not a forecast of the future, but rather is something that is foreseen as being possible. We can, if necessary, attempt to estimate the likelihood or probability of occurrence of the scenario. For BDP, the set of events and circumstances will be limited to those that involve the water resources of the Mekong Basin.

Why Create Scenarios? BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS Why Create Scenarios? Scenarios in BDP will used to study the results (benefits and costs) of: –Events we think will happen anyway (eg population growth, urbanisation etc) –Events that might happen (We can generally think of these as ‘risks’) –Events that we can make happen - such as creating development, building new structures, and operating existing structures. These studies will enable evaluation of the desirability of possible water-based developments & will lead to evolution of development strategies.

‘Short Lists’ vs Development Strategies BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS ‘Short Lists’ vs Development Strategies As the MRC basin planning process proceeds, it may be found that currently identified development proposals are not necessarily the best possible from a basin wide view. ( Refer to Article 2) Therefore, instead of a ‘short list’ of actual projects, the BDP may identify strategic directions in which further investigation should occur, and perhaps some development principles - eg all upriver dam development is to take account of mitigation measures needed in the lower river. Or, there may be both lists and strategies.

An Undeveloped Sub-basin BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS An Undeveloped Sub-basin

All Possible Projects in Basin BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS All Possible Projects in Basin

Every Combination is a Scenario BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS Every Combination is a Scenario

Scenario Variations BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS Scenario Variations

How Do We Formulate Scenarios? BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS How Do We Formulate Scenarios? The elements of scenarios need to be chosen as factors that the basin simulation model will accept as inputs - that is, water-based factors. The basin model has three modules: –Rainfall - runoff. Will compute hydrology changes brought about by catchment development etc –River flows. Will compute flow changes influenced by water demands (ie water extractions) –Floodplain hydraulics. Will compute flow and water depth changes due to levees etc

How Do We Choose Projects for Scenarios? BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS How Do We Choose Projects for Scenarios? There are no fixed rules - but guidelines can help. For initial trials in a basin such as the Mekong, it is suggested that projects be those already identified by national line agencies over the past 25 years, plus any identified by previous MRC consultants - eg the Mekong Basin Hydropower Strategy. The reason for this is simply efficiency. To provide hydrology, water demand and floodplain intervention data, it is necessary to have at least some brief, pre-feasibility study done. BDP does not have the time to do its own studies.

What Are the Next Steps? BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS What Are the Next Steps?

Planning Skills and Judgement come from Actual ‘Hands-on’ Experience BASIN PLANNING - OBJECTIVES and SCENARIOS Planning Skills and Judgement come from Actual ‘Hands-on’ Experience Basin planning is a very practical activity. Models do not always produce the results which the planners might anticipate: –projects turn out to have unexpected outcomes, –the river does not behave as you might imagine, and –the objectives might turn out to be of little help in ranking projects. You will not discover this until you actually do some model runs. “Learn by doing”