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