Integrated Ecosystem and Water Resources Management of the Upper-Mekong River Basin

The aim of the project is to identify sustainable development scenarios for the Upper Mekong region (Lancang River Basin) that maintain the integrity, diversity and symbiosis of local livelihoods, cultures and ecosystems through:

• Integrating and deepening the understanding of contemporary human induced physical and ecological changes in two catchments in the Luozha watershed in Lincang Prefecture; and
• Giving policy-makers and managers insight in economic, social and ecological effects of development scenario’s, and providing them with practical guidelines for a more sustainable development of the selected catchments and similar catchments the Upper Mekong basin.

The ecosystem of the Upper Mekong is under increasing human pressure as a result of fast land use changes and non-sustainable land use practices.

This pressure affects both the hydrological and ecological state of the Upper Mekong system through soil erosion, landslides, increased sediment loads, habitat fragmentation, and species loss.

This has adverse consequences for the functions these rivers and ecosystems fulfil; rivers with high sediment concentration become less suitable for fishing and hydropower generation, and forests lose biodiversity.

To tackle the situation the different government departments of Yunnan Province are seeking ways to develop an Integrated River Basin Management approach.

The project approach is to carry out combined Chinese-Dutch research focussed at understanding two catchments of the Upper Mekong system.

This will be done by means of a system analysis approach that analyses the natural environment in a societal context by taking into account human pressure and responses. The study particularly focuses on:

1. Soil, water and biodiversity conservation through ecosystem restoration
2. Assessment of slope stability and landslides hazard
3. Water resources assessment
4. Integrated watershed planning and management

Two tributaries of the Lancang river in Lincang prefecture are selected as study areas: Xiaojie catchment and Yingchun catchment. Xiaojie river has quite turbid waters.

The question is whether this is caused by deforestation, non-sustainable agriculture, road construction, specific natural condition observed? Yingchun river is characterised by much less turbid waters.

Is this caused by good nature management (nature reserves and ecosystem restoration) and adjacent area management (reforestation, agro-ecosystems) resulting in less soil erosion and landslides?

Through detailed studies within both catchments in-depth knowledge about the watershed system will be gained. This will provide input to the system and comparative analysis at the catchment level.

As the selected regions are representative for the problems and issues in large parts of the Upper Mekong the results of the project will give valuable contribution to watershed research and management for these larger areas.

Outputs:

• Better integrated understanding of land-water interactions in the Upper-Mekong and mechanisms for improved river basin management
• Practical guidelines for sustainable development of the river basin and biodiversity conservation supported by policy makers and managers
• Increased awareness of managers / decision-makers on integrated management of land and water resources for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation
• An Upper-Mekong case in the Global Water Partnership (GWP) Toolbox for Integral Water management
• Input into the planned IUCN-project (Yunnan Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme) and other related projects.