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    Assessment of flow changes from hydropower development and operations in Sekong, Sesan and Srepok Rivers of the Mekong Basin (2013)

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    Type of Content
    Journal Article
    UC Permalink
    http://hdl.handle.net/10092/8871
    
    Publisher's DOI/URI
    https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0000286
    
    Publisher
    University of Canterbury. Civil and Natural Resources Engineering
    Collections
    • Engineering: Journal Articles [1644]
    Authors
    Piman, T.
    Cochrane, T.A.
    Arias, M.E.
    Green, A.
    Dat, N.D.
    show all
    Abstract

    The Mekong River supports unique biodiversity and provides food security for over sixty million people in the Indo-Burma region, but potential changes to natural flow patterns from hydropower development are a major risk to the wellbeing of this system. Of particular concern is the ongoing and future development of 42 dams in the transboundary Srepok, Sesan and Sekong (3S) Basin which contributes up to 20% of the Mekong's annual flows and provides critical ecosystem services to the downstream Tonle Sap Lake and the Mekong Delta. To assess the magnitude of potential changes, daily flows were simulated over 20 years using the HEC ResSim and SWAT models for a range of dam operations and development scenarios. A 63% increase in dry season flows and a 22% decrease in wet season flows at the outlet of the 3S Basin can result from the potential development of new dams in the main 3S Rivers under an operation scheme to maximize electricity production. Water level changes in the Mekong River from this scenario are comparable to changes induced by the current development of Chinese dams in the Upper Mekong Basin and are significantly higher than potential flow changes from the proposed 11 mainstream dams in the Lower Mekong Basin. Dams on the upper sub tributaries of the 3S Basin have very low impacts on seasonal flow regimes because most of those projects are run-of-river dams and have small reservoir storages. Impacts on hourly flow changes due to intra daily reservoir operations, sediment movement, water quality and ecology need further study. Strategic site selection and coordinated reservoir operations between countries are necessary to achieve an acceptable level of development in the basin and mitigate negative impacts to seasonal flow patterns which sustain downstream ecosystem productivity and livelihoods.

    Citation
    Piman, T., Cochrane, T.A., Arias, M.E., Green, A., Dat, N.D. (2013) Assessment of flow changes from hydropower development and operations in Sekong, Sesan and Srepok Rivers of the Mekong Basin. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 139(6), pp. 723-732.
    This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
    Keywords
    Mekong; HEC-RESSIM; hydropower; dam operations; Asia
    ANZSRC Fields of Research
    09 - Engineering::0905 - Civil Engineering::090509 - Water Resources Engineering
    Rights
    https://hdl.handle.net/10092/17651

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    • Effect of Proposed Large Dams on Water Flows and Hydropower Production in the Sekong, Sesan and Srepok Rivers of the Mekong Basin 

      Piman, T.; Cochrane, T.A.; Arias, M.E. (University of Canterbury. Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, 2016)
      Water flow patterns in the Mekong are changing due to on-going rapid hydropower development triggered by economic growth. Of immediate concern are the current and proposed hydropower dams in the transboundary Srepok, ...
    • Simulated changes in water flows of the Mekong River from potential dam development and operations on the Se San and Sre Pok tributaries 

      Cochrane, T.A.; Arias, M.E.; Teasley, R.L.; Killeen, T.J. (University of Canterbury. Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, 2010)
      Rapid regional growth and energy demands have driven plans to build numerous dams along the Mekong’s mainstem and its tributaries prompting significant concern for potential changes in seasonal flow regimes and subsequent ...
    • The current and future impact of water resources development on flows and livelhoods of the Mekong River 

      Cochrane, T.A.; Arias, M.E.; Piman, T. (University of Canterbury. Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, 2014)
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