Douangsavanh, Somphasith

Hoanh, Chu Thai

Kam, Suan Pheng

Lacombe, Guillaume

Leticia, M.

McCartney, Matthew P.

Reis, J.

Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali

Teoh, S.J.

CGSpace

The	  3rd	  International	  Forum	  	  on	  Water	  and	  Food	  Tshwane,	  South	  Africa	  November	  14	  –	  17, 2011	  	   	   	  	  	  Co-­‐hosted	  by:	  	  	  	  	  A d j u s t i n g  h y d r o p o w e r  d a m  o p e r a t i o n  t o  c o m p l e m e n t  l i v e l i h o o d  s t r a t e g i e s  i n  t h e  L o w e r  M e k o n g  B a s i n  JULIA	  REIS2,	  GUILLAUME	  LACOMBE1,	  CHU	  THAI	  HOANH1,	  MATTHEW	  MCCARTNEY1,	  SOMPHASITH	  DOUANGSAVANH1,	  LETICIA	  METZGER,	  SHWU	  JIAU	  TEOH,	  SUAN	  PHENG	  KAM	  AND	  SONALI	  SENARATNA	  SELLAMUTTU1	  1International	  Water	  Management	  Institute	  	  2University	  of	  Virginia	  jsr4j@virginia.edu	  	  Session:  Mekong Basin/Learning to Innovate 	  SCHEMATIC	  VIEW	  OF	  INTERSECTION	  BETWEEN	  FOOD	  PRODUCTION	  AND	  WATER	  LEVEL	  OF	  THE	  NAM	  GNOUANG	  DAM	  	  	  International	  Forum	  on	  Water	  and	  Food	     S u m m a r y  The	   Nam	   Gnouang	   dam	   in	   Lao	   PDR	   was	   constructed	   to	   double	   the	   capacity	   of	   the	   downstream	  Theun-­‐Hinboun	   power	   station.	   About	   one	   thousand	   people	   who	   rely	   on	   the	   Nam	   Gnouang	   were	  resettled	  close	  to	  the	  shoreline	  at	  full	  supply	  level.	  Following	  semi-­‐structured	  surveys	  and	  consultations	  to	  learn	  which	  activities	  are	  feasible	  and	  desirable,	  we	  can	  use	  linear	  programming	  to	  identify	  profitable	  livelihood	   strategies,	   including	   traditional	   activities	   (rice,	   extensive	   livestock,	   fishing)	   and	   new	   ones	  (aquaculture,	   forage	   cropping),	   given	   the	   limited	   labour	   resources.	   Using	   reservoir	  modeling,	   we	  will	  evaluate	  the	  water	  resources	  and	  hydropower	  implications	  of	  altering	  the	  dam	  operation	  to	  compliment	  these	   strategies.	   For	  example,	  we	   could	   investigate	   the	   impacts	  of	  prolonging	   specific	  water	   levels	   to	  allow	  cultivation	  of	  profitable	  vegetables	  on	  exposed	  riverbanks.	  Although	  fisheries	  will	  be	  constrained	  by	   impoundments	   and	  high-­‐magnitude	  water	   level	   fluctuations,	   the	   dam	  operation	  may	   allow	   fishing	  and	  aquaculture,	  if,	  for	  example,	  pools	  are	  maintained	  during	  the	  dry	  season.	  	  	  Key Message While	  many	  have	  assessed	  the	  negative	  consequences	  hydropower	  dams	  have	  on	  livelihoods,	  few	  researchers	  have	  identified	  and	  studied	  interventions	  to	  mitigate	  these	  impacts.	  Policy	  makers	  will	  need	  detailed	  methods	  to	  address	  the	  challenges	  posed	  by	  dams,	  which	  are	  currently	  a	  prominent	  approach	  to	  development.	  	  

Adjusting hydropower dam operation to compliment livelihood strategies in the Lower Mekong Basin

https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/10568/10450/3/MLiSe001_Final_RD_1210.pdf

Adjusting hydropower dam operation to compliment livelihood strategies in the Lower Mekong Basin

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