CCOP-KIGAM-DGR Workshop on Transboundary Aquifer Monitoring and Management in Mekong Basin -Efforts for Climate Resilient Groundwater Management and Restoration

Dr Kriangsak Pirarai, Director of the Groundwater Resource Information Center, Department of Groundwater Resources, and Dr Yongcheol Kim, Head / Principal Researcher, Groundwater Research Center, Geological Environment Division, KIGAM, delivered a welcome address. Both looked forward to closed cooperation on Groundwater development in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Dr Young Joo Lee, Director of CCOP TS delivered an opening address.

Dr Dhiti Tulyatid, Regional Expert, CCOP TS, gave a presentation on “CCOP’s Roles in Promoting Groundwater and other related geoscience activities in East and Southeast Asia.

Dr Eunhee Leegave a talk about the CCOP-KIGAM Groundwater Project. She presented some results from Cambodia and Lao PDR on the monitoring wells located next to the Mekong River. She informed the meeting on the objectives of the workshop are to promote and sharing of information and best practices among GMS on transboundary aquifer management.

Dr Yongcheol Kimgave a presentation on “Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for groundwater restoration in South Korea”. In his opinion, for the GMS, the area needs a lot of recharge water to increase the groundwater level, e.g., sources: river water, reclaimed water to inject (need to be treated before injection), and rain water; Methods: rainwater harvesting, borehole injection ASR.

Dr Kriengsak Srisuk, gave a presentation on the Potential impacts of climate change on groundwater resources and salinity distribution in central Huai Luang Basin, Udon Thani, NE Thailand.

The afternoon session included country reports:

Dr Kong Sithapresented a Cambodia country report. Cambodia has some As, Mn & Fe contaminations in groundwater. There was also a drawdown making withdrawal of groundwater become more difficult.

Dr Wu Aimingave a presentation on Transboundary Aquifer Research in Lancang-Mekong Basin and over-exploited Aquifer Management in North China Plain.

Mr Ounakone Xayviliyagave a country report for Lao PDR. He also presented the well monitoring results achieved form 5 wells.

Ms Phuengchat Chantawongsogave a Thailand country report on “Transboundary Aquifer Monitoring and Management in Mekong Basin – Effort for Climate Resilient Groundwater Management znd Restoration of Thailand”.

Mr Hoang Van Hoangave a talk on “Groundwater resources and impact assessment of climate change to the groundwater resources in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam”.

Dr Kriengsak Srisuk suggested that all countries have to specify or select working areas that all could linked. Thus a clear objective must be specified. The meeting was aware of the exchange of technology and experiences. It was suggested that a clear topic should be defined to working together, i.e., saline soil over Thailand & Lao. A training course was also encouraging. However, national coordinators need to be the same throughout the project. It is also encourage that participating countries share their groundwater data in order to have better understanding about the transboundary aquifer; then they could properly specify the areas of the transboundary aquifer. This must be carried out in small selected areas for the start (KIGAM cannot support a countrywide work). Dr Wu mentioned that China could organize a workshop within China OR the Chinese experts could be invited as resource persons to the workshop held in Cambodia or other countries. KIGAM would like to focus on TBA and could offer a workshop with participants from Thailand, Lao, Cambodia & Vietnam. Most importantly, the project should focus on specific area, e.g., the triangle area.