From aviva@irn.org Sat Mar 25 15:55:14 2000 Return-Path: Received: from DaVinci.NetVista.net (root@mail.netvista.net [206.170.46.10]) by lox.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca (8.8.7/8.8.8) with ESMTP id PAA16076 for ; Sat, 25 Mar 2000 15:55:12 -0500 (EST) Received: [from aviva.irn.org (router.irn.org [170.1.98.117])\n by DaVinci.NetVista.net (8.10.0/8.8.8) with SMTP id e2PKt3420609\n for ; Sat, 25 Mar 2000 12:55:03 -0800 (PST)\n (envelope-from aviva@irn.org)] Message-Id: <4.1.20000325124601.00a93100@pop3.netvista.net> X-Sender: aviva@pop3.netvista.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.1 Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 12:46:26 -0800 To: dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca From: Aviva Imhof Subject: salween watch hotmail Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Status: OR SALWEEN WATCH HOTMAILOUT March 24, 2000, Volume 5 ******************************************** [Introduction] (1) TERRA: A Dam For Burma's Generals (2) PANYA CONSULTANTS: Hyrdopower Potential And Water Diversion Form The Salween Basin (3) SHAN: The Salween Dam Mineral Survey Continues (4) SHAN: Wa's Applying for Logging Concession In The Salween Dam Area (5) THE NATION: GMS Power to Kick-Start Laos Dam Project (6) IRN DAY OF ACTION - MARCH 14 ******************************************** Dear Friends, Included in this mailing are several documents that add to the growing material we are collecting about the proposed Ta Sang Dam on the Salween River in Shan State, Burma. The TERRA article provides a good overview of the situation and concrete reasons why the dam is a bad idea and should be opposed. Panya Consultants presented the paper that is included here at a conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand in September of last year. Unfortunately, the organizers did not invite NGO's or people who are affected by the dams to the conference. The paper is included here to give insight into the builders' perspectives on the perceived benefits of the dams and the plans under consideration for water diversion. The information included also confirms that a German company, Lahmeyer International, conducted the pre-feasibility study on the Ta Sang Dam. The Shan Herald Agency for News contributes two articles to this volume of the Salween Watch Hotmailout, providing updated information on the logging and mining in the Dam area. In the article from The Nation, GMS Power honorary adviser, Subin Pinkayan, is cited, confirming that GMS is working directly with the Burmese on dam projects. This mailing ends with the announcement of our virtual protest against the Ta Sang Dam, a part of the International Rivers' Network Day of Action earlier this month. Check out the IRN web site for a reminder that we have many allies who support our fight for human rights and a sound environment. Look for the announcement about the Salween Watch's own website in the next Hotmailout. As always, if you have information you would like to share with us or if you have any questions, we can be reached at salweenwatch@hotmail.com. Salween Watch 24 March, 2000 ******************************************** (1) TERRA: A Dam For Burma's Generals (From Watershed: People's Forum on Ecology, Burma, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Vietnam. Vol. 5 No. 2 November 1999 - February 2000, published by Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance - TERRA) A Thai dam-building company is proposing the construction of a massive hydroelectric dam on the Salween River in northeastern Burma. Tens of thousands of local people have already been forcibly relocated from the site of the proposed TA Sarong dam and its reservoir, by order of Burma's military dictatorship. "Recognising that there exist vast potential for joint utilization of energy resources, particularly hydropower and petroleum resources in the Union of Myanmar; for the mutual benefits of the peoples of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Union of Myanmar... "The Government of the Kingdom of Thailand hereby agrees to cooperate with the Government of the Union of Myanmar in the implementation of the policy to sell power to Thailand, and would encourage the purchase of power by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) or other agencies designated by the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand to buy up to I,500 Megawatt [sic] of electricity power from projects in Myanmar by the year 2010. (Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government or the Union of Myanmar on the Power Purchase Program from the Union of Myanmar, 4 July 1997) Two months after the Thai government and Burma's military dictatorship, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), signed this Memorandum of Understanding, GMS Power Public Co. Ltd. signed a contract with the SLORC's Myanmar Economic Corporation to study the feasibility of building the Ta Sarng hydroelectric dam on the Salween River. With a proposed dam height of 188 meters, Ta Sarng would be the tallest dam in mainland Southeast Asia.* If built, it would be the first dam to be built on the 2,400 kilometre-long mainstream of the Salween River, the only remaining free-flowing major river in the region. The 320,000 square kilometre Salween River Basin is also the least dammed of the region's major river basins. However, since the late 1970s, Australian and Japanese consulting companies and Burmese and Thai state agencies have produced seven major studies examining the possibility of constructing large dams on the Salween. GMS Power is a subsidiary of Thailand's MDX Group of companies. Through GMS, MDX is involved in dam projects in Cambodia, Lao PDR and China's Yunnan province. GMS contracted Lahmeyer International, a German consulting firm, to coordinate the prefeasibility study for the Ta Sarng project (completed April 1998) and the Electric Power Corporation of Japan to oversee the project's feasibility study (completed March 1999). The final stage of study has been described by a GMS spokesperson as the "definite plan", presumably the detailed engineering design of the project, which is scheduled to begin in December 1999. Lahmeyer's prefeasibility study indicates that the concretefaced rockfill Ta Sarng dam, with an installed generation capacity of 3,300 megawatts, would be located on the Salween River in the southern area of central Shan State in northeastern Burma. GMS engineers claim that the project's reservoir would flood an area of at least 640 square kilometers, storing 36,100 million cubic meters of water -- approximately one-third of the Salween's average annual flow volume of 119,037 cubic metres. The Thai-Burma Memorandum of Understanding attempts to justify the construction of large hydroelectric dams and other large-scale projects for electricity generation in Burma "for the mutual benefits of the peoples of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Union of Myanmar". If nothing else, this statement ignores the experience with large-scale energy sector-related infrastructure in both Thailand and Burma (e.g., the Thai-Burma Yadana gas pipeline project, which involved forced labour, extrajudicial murder and forced relocation extensively documented and criticised intentionally) and the destruction and human rights violations that go hand-in-hand with these "development" projects. And that the promise of large-scale projects to provide the State and its agents with the opportunity for enrichment occurs at the expense of the citizens of these countries. The constant repetition of the promises of "mutual benefit" derived from, for example, large dams, therefore requires detailed examination. How to destroy a river A natural river ecosystem and its watershed have evolved together over thousands of years, created by the natural flows of water, bio-mass and sediment through the watershed and river. The construction of Ta Sarng would destroy the delicate balance between the Salween, its tributaries and watersheds. The Ta Sarng dam would also result in a large, deep reservoir. The dam's blocking of the river and impoundment of water in the reservoir would radically alter the natural flow and the ecological, chemical and biological characteristics of the Salween River. In the project area, the reservoir would transform the free flowing Salween River into a deep, slow moving or still water system, up to several hundred kilometers or more in length. Decaying organic matter can create eutrophic conditions in the reservoir leading to algae blooms, oxygen depletion and massive fish kills. Water from the reservoir and directly downstream of the reservoir is often unfit for human or animal consumption. The conditions of the reservoir produces changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the water, including pH balance, turbidity, oxygen levels, and temperature both in the reservoir and downstream of the dam when water is released through the dam's turbines. The fishes of the Salween River Basin have evolved in a riverine system. If the river were transformed into a reservoir, most of these fish species would be extirpated by the reservoir, as will many of the fish species living downstream of the dam due to the ecological impacts of altered water flow and the poor quality of water released from the reservoir. Seasonal fish migrations in the area of the Salween River Basin affected by the project would be prevented by the dam and the non-river habitat of the reservoir, while there would be severe impact on fish migrations and populations downstream of the dam, potentially along a stretch of the river hundreds of kilometres downstream of the dam. Forests and fertile lowlands along the Salween River and in the tributary valleys would be permanently submerged by the reservoir. Many of these areas are used for seasonal cultivation of crops which serve the needs of local families and communities. The reservoir will destroy the aquatic and terrestrial animal habitat of the river and its valley, and radically alter habitats downstream of the dam. In the reservoir, species of the riverine ecosystem are likely to be replaced by other aquatic and water-dependent species able to survive, and even thrive, in the degraded habitats of the reservoir area. Along the edges of the Ta Samg dam's reservoir, stagnant pools of water in a large expanse of bare, moist land will be exposed in the area where the reservoir water levels rise and fall on a periodic basis. Known as the "draw-down" area, this new habitat is an ideal breeding ground for malarial mosquitoes. Several forms of the world's most virulent, treatment-resistant malaria are already endemic in areas of the Salween River Basin, including the proposed site of the Ta Sarng project. All of these impacts would severely affect the means of livelihood security of communities living along the Salween River. Evidence from large dams built in Thailand indicates that the impacts of large dams on the means of livelihood security of communities living upstream and downstream of large dams is in many ways negative, reducing food supplies and opportunities to generate income from farming and fishing and resulting in serious impacts on the health of local people, particularly women, children and the elderly. Inevitably, these same impacts will occur if the proposed Ta Sarng hydroelectric dam is built on the Salween River. How to violate human rights In the Shan culture, the Salween is called the "Nam Khong". The importance of the river for the Shan people is illustrated by a popular Shan song by writer Sai Khorn Fah which includes the phrase, "As long as the Nam Khong flows, we will have Shan State."** The site of the proposed Ta Sarng dam and the lower area of the reservoir are located within an 18,000 square kilometre area of central Shan State in which more than 300,000 people have been forcibly relocated by SLORC's [recently renamed the State Peace and Development Council] army. While the forced removal of local communities from their homelands in a proposed reservoir area is required by the construction of large dam, only the proposal, and project studies for Ta Sarng have provided the SLORC/SPDC with the incentive to forcibly relocate tens of thousands of families living along the Salween River where the dam and reservoir may be located. A recent interview with an ethnic Shan village person forcibly relocated from the proposed reservoir area illustrates the close relations between local people and their natural environment in the Salween basin and the connection between forced relocation and the Ta Sarng project. Question: Did many people in the area of your village catch fish in the river? Answer: Everyone fishes in the river! At least one person from every house goes out to catch fish to eat and to sell in Kali [a nearby market town)...There are so many fish in the Nam Pang! [tributary of the Salween There are lots of "ba moong". These are big fish which people like to eat. It is so easy to catch fish. In one day you can easily fill your canoe with fish. Q. Have you heard that the Burmese government is planning to build a dam on the Salween River at Ta Sarng? A. Yes, I have heard of this. People in Kunhing [relocation site] are saying it will definitely happen. The authorities have said so. Everyone from Kengkham [township] is so worried. Q. How would you feel about your village being underwater? A. I can't express what I feel. It would be worse than the death of my mother and father. As the project proponent, GMS Power apparently hopes that the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) would purchase most or all of the predicted 23,000 gigawatt hours (GWh, 23,000 billion kilowatt hours) that the Ta Sarng project could generate. However, EGAT is not in a position to justify the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) for Ta Sarng as more than 30 per cent of its generating capacity (hydroelectric dams, natural gas-fuelled plants, ete.) is presently unused due to major reductions in the country's demand for electricity. In the absence of a PPA, it is unlikely that GMS will convince international commercial banks to provide the financing for the US$3.5 billion dam in the near future. Nevertheless, with feasibility studies completed and detailed design planning soon to begin, a delay in the commencement of constructing Ta Sarng as a result of reduced electricity demand in Thailand promises only to be temporary. Successive Thai governments and State agencies have consistently proven their willingness to do business with private-sector companies investing in Burma and to attempt to appease the SLORC/SPDC with the profits of large-scale infrastructure. Only time will tell if Thai society will refuse to allow Thai governments, State agencies and private companies to do business with the brutal military dictatorship of the SLORC/SPDC and to condone the human rights violations and environmental destruction caused by "development" projects like the proposed Ta Sarng hydroelectric dam in Burma. Endnotes *For comparison, Thailand's tallest dam is the 154 meter Bhumibol dam, while Vietnam's Hoa Binh dam is 128 metres in height. ** SWAN, Shan Women's Action Network Newsletter, No.1, September 1999. ******************************************** (2) PANYA CONSULTANTS: Hyrdopower Potential And Water Diversion Form The Salween Basin by Mr. Choolit Vatcharasinthu and Dr. M.S. Babel (September, 1999) Workshop on Trans-Boundary Waters: The Salween Basin Organized by AIT Regional Environmental Management Center - Oregon State University and University of Victoria Sponsored by United Nations University and International Water Resources Association Chiang Mai, Thailand 13-16 September, 1999 Hydropower potential and water diversion from The Salween Basin Mr. Choolit Vatcharasinthu and Dr. M. S. Babel [Some sections of this paper have been omitted because of space and formatting considerations. You will be able to read the entire paper on the Salween Watch web site, available in April, 2000 -- Salween Watch.] 1. Introduction 2.The Salween Basin 2.1 Basic characteristics 2.2 Water resources 3. Hydropower potential and development in Salween Basin 3.1 Main Salween River 3.1.1 Past studies 3.1.2 Recent work 3.2 Tributaries of Salween River 4. The Chao Phraya Basin 4.1 Water resources 4.2 Water budget 4.3 Water demand and shortage 5. Water diversion from Salween Basin 5.1 Water diversion schemes 5.2 Benefit areas 5.3 Project impacts 6. Conclusions and recommendations References Abstract: This chapter briefly describes the characteristics and water resources of the Salween Basin and reviews the work that has been carried out to assess the hydropower development potential in the basin. The article then presents an account of the water supply and demand situation in the Chao Phraya Basin of Thailand and emphasizes the need of water diversion from the Salween basin to meet a part of water shortage in the Chao Phraya Basin. Several water diversion routes to bring water from the Salween Basin to the Chao Phraya Basin are described based on the recently concluded studies. The impacts of the water diversion projects are also discussed. Some recommendations are made with regard to water resources development in the Salween Basin. Keywords: Chao Phraya basin, hydropower potential, Salween basin, water resources, water diversion. 1. Introduction The Salween River, an Asian international river, originates from the Great Himalayas in Tibet. During its course, the river travels through the south of the China, the east of Myanmar, the west of Thailand, and along the border of Thailand and Myanmar. From the Thai border, the river again flows in the territory of Myanmar before discharging into the Andaman Sea. The Salween Basin has huge water resources potential, which can be developed for hydroelectric power generation and water use for different purposes within the basin or nearby basins. The basin, therefore, can serve as a major source of water and energy for the social and economic development of Myanmar and Thailand in the future. The paper focuses on two aspects of water resources development: (i) the hydropower potential/development in the basin and (ii) the water diversion from the Salween Basin to the Chao Phraya Basin of Thailand. 2. The Salween Basin 2.1 Basin characteristics The Salween River, also known as the Than Lwin River is one of the major international rivers in Southeast Asia. The main stem of the Salween river originates in The Tangula Mountain in Tibetan plateau in China. It traverses southward through Yunnan Province of China, Shan and Kayah States of Myanmar, along The Myanmar-Thai border and then through The Kayin State of Myanmar before draining into the Gulf of Moattama (Martaban) of Andaman Sea at Moulmein. The entire length of the river is about 2,400 km and the total drainage area of the basin is about 320,000 km2. The watershed area is located in China (53 per cent), Myanmar (42 per cent) and Thailand (5 per cent) as shown in figure 1. In the upper stretch of the river in Yunnan Province of China, the river flows into the deep gorges with rugged and steep mountains. The width of the river basin is just about 20 km at some places in the Yunnan Province. Numerous major tributaries, including Pang, Teng, Pawn, Hka and Hsim Rivers join the Salween River in Myanmar. At about 320 km from the mouth, the river forms the boundary between Myanmar and Thailand for a distance of about 120 km and then the Moei River (also named as Thaungyin), another important tributary which runs toward northwest meets the Salween River. The Moei River also forms The Thai-Myanmar border from its origin to the confluence with The Salween River. >From the confluence with The Moei River, the river again enters the territory of Myanmar in the Kayin State. Before discharging into the Gulf of Moattama, several more tributaries join The Salween River. The river passes through the alluvial plain for a stretch of about 100-km from the mouth. For an approximate total distance of 2,400 km, the bed elevation of the Salween River drops by about 1,600 m. The average width of the basin, calculated as the catchment area divided by the length, is 133.3 km. This makes the length-width ratio of 18. Only a few rivers in the world have such a high length-width ratio. 2.2 Water resources The climate of the basin is influenced by both southwest monsoon in summer (May to October) and northeast monsoon (November to April) in winter. The middle and downstream reaches of the Salween River and the Moei River basins belong to a typical tropical monsoon. The annual precipitation within the Salween River basin ranges widely from around 1,200 mm in the midstream area to over 2,000 mm in the upstream and downstream areas. But, in the coastal areas of the basin, the annual rainfall is as high as 4,000 to 5,000 mm. Stream flow data for the Salween River are very sparse. There are only two gauging stations, namely, SWNl4 in Thailand and Hpa-An in Myanmar, on the main stream of the Salween River. However, several gauging stations have been established on the tributaries in the territories of Thailand. Table 1 [omitted] provides the summary of hydrologic data recorded at the selected gauging stations in the basin. [ ... ] Since most of the basin area is mountainous, the specific yield is relatively high and varies from 0.014 to 0.081 m3/s/km2 in the wet season (June-November) and from 0.003 to 0.010 m3/s/km2 in the dry season (December-May). [ ... ] An examination of table 1 clearly illustrates that the basin has abundant water resources, which can be exploited for utilization within the basin for irrigation development or by diverting water to the nearby basins in Thailand where the water shortages are being faced due to extensive agricultural development and increased demand of water from non-agricultural sectors. The topography of the basin and longitudinal profiles along the Salween River and its tributaries imply that there is a huge hydropower potential to be tapped for meeting the ever increasing energy demand of Thailand and Myanmar. 3. Hydropower potential and development in Salween Basin 3.1 Main Salween River 3.1.1 Past studies In the past, several studies of hydropower development on the Salween River were carried out by the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand or by the international consultants. Due to non-availability of hydrologic, topographic and other necessary data, the earlier studies were mainly based on the very limited data, information collected during the field reconnaissance. The studies conducted in the past are listed below: 1. "Desk Study on the Possibility of Development of a Hydroelectric Project on Salween River" in 1979 by the National Energy Administration (NEA). Thailand. 2. "Salween Multipurpose Project" for EGAT in 1980 by Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC), Australia. 3. "Salween Multipurpose Project: Conceptual Plan" in 1981 by the Energy Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). 4. "Report on Possible Development Plan of Salween River" in 1981 by Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. (NK), Japan. 5. "Desk Study on Possible Hydropower Projects on Salween River" in 1990 by the Myanmar Electric Power Entries (MEPE), Myanmar. 6. "Preliminary Study on Hydropower Projects on River Bordering Thailand - Myanmar" in 1992 by the Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (EPDC), Japan. 7. "Preliminary Study of Hydroelectric Power Development Project in the Middle Reaches of the Salween River" in 1993 by Nippon Koei Co.. Ltd. (NK), Japan. Studies Nos. 1, 2, 3 and part of 5 were preliminary investigations carried out with the main objective of assessing the hydroelectric power and irrigation development potentials in the lower reaches of the Salween River along the boundary between Myanmar and Thailand or near the confluence with the Moei River. Studies Nos. 4 and 6 provided the overall development plan of the Salween River, downstream of the boundary between Myanmar and China. Study No. 7 dealt with the hydroelectric power development scheme for the middle reaches of the Salween River in Myanmar. The hydropower projects recommended by these desk studies are located in the plan and profile of the Salween River in figures 2 and 3, respectively. The summary of the past hydropower development studies on the Salween River is provided in table 2. As of now, there is no hydropower plant on the Salween River. The proposed dam locations are nearer to each other in some of the studies, which were conducted independently and at different times. According to an estimate, a total of about 12,000 MW can be installed along the Salween River. 3.1.2 Recent work The preliminary studies for two hydropower development projects on the Salween River have recently been completed for the Union of Myanmar. They are the Hutgyi hydropower project and the Ta Sang hydropower project. The study of Hutgyi hydropower project was completed in August 1998 (MEPE, 1998). The dam is located at about 33 km downstream of the Moei confluence. It covers a watershed area of 311,093 km2 with a mean discharge of 4,105 m3/s. The project is designed as a run-of river type power plant to utilize the available high discharge. The pondage will be created with the help of a concrete gravity dam 37 m high at the crest elevation of 51 m MSL. The normal high water level (NHWL) is set at 48 m MSL to avoid any influence to the Thai border. The firm discharge of 1,420 m3/s and a design head of 24.2 m will utilize a total installed capacity of 300 MW (8 units of 37.5 MW) to generate an annual energy of 2.148 GWh. The transmission line of 230 kV from the Hutgyi power station to Thaton in Myanmar is about 70 km and to the Tak 2 substation in Thailand is about 250 km. [ ... ] The pre-feasibility study of Ta Sang hydropower project was prepared by LAHMEYER INTERNATIONAL for the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), The Union of Myanmar (MEC, 1998). The Ta Sang dam on Salween is in the southern part of the Shan State in the Union of Myanmar near the Ta Sang ferry crossing 370 km east of Taunggyi on National Road No. 45 and 130 km from the check point BP-I on the Thai border, about 150 km north of Chiang Mai in Thailand. The dam catchment area is 207,000 km2. The concrete-faced rockfill dam with a maximum height of 188 m and a total storage volume of 36,100 MCM at the full supply level of 350 m MSL has been proposed. The design discharge of 2583 m3/s and the rated head of 142 m with an installed capacity of 3500 MW will generate an annual energy of 23,006 GWh. The transmission line of 500 kV from the project to the Myanmar substation at Pyimnana will be 350 km whereas it will be only 130 km to the substation at Chiangmai in Thailand. The Ta Sang project is being studied for its feasibility by the Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (EPDC), Japan for the Government of Myanmar. 3.2 Tributaries of Salween River Throughout its length in Myanmar, a number of large tributaries enter the Salween River with steep slopes or sizable cascades. Consequently, there exists a large hydropower potential on the tributary rivers. However, in most of the cases, the proper locations of the hydropower projects are in the remote areas of the country, which are far from the existing power markets. This makes the hydropower development a relatively economically less attractive as an energy source at this point of time. However, it is expected that with relatively less adverse environmental impacts of hydropower projects compared to the thermal power projects and the hydro-energy being renewable source, these isolated projects will be implemented in the near future. Table 3 lists the status of hydropower development projects/studies on the tributaries of the Salween River. So far only two hydropower stations with a total installed capacity of 196 MW have been constructed on the Pawn River, a major tributary of the Salween River on the right hand side. One more hydropower-project on the Pawn River is presently under feasibility study. In the lower basin, thee hydropower projects have been studied and proposed on the Moei River (EPDC, 1992). Table 3. Status of hydropower development on tributaries of Salween River 1. (Project Name) Baluchaung No. 1, (Sub-basin) Pawn, (Installed capacity) 28 MW, (Annual energy) 177 GWh, (Remarks) Operational since 1998 2. Baluchaung No.2, Pawn, 168 MW, 1080 GWh, Operational since 1962 3. Baluchaung No.3, Pawn, 48 MW, 327 GWh, Feasibility study 4. Yunzalin, Yunzalin, 530 MW, 1540 GWh, Desk study 5. Teng Falls, Teng, 123 MW, - , Desk study 6. Moei 1, Moei River, 110 MW, 244, GWh, Preliminary study 7. Moei 2, Moei River, 230 MW, 523 GWh, Preliminary study 8. Moei 3, Moei River, 288 MW, 630 GWh, Preliminary study The map studies have indicated a huge potential of hydropower development on the other tributaries as well as in the middle reaches of the Salween River. However, there has been no systematic study taken up till now jointly or independently by any of the parties concerned. It is, therefore, recommended that a comprehensive and systematic master plan study for the hydropower development in the basin be taken up which will be useful for the development and management of energy resources in China. Myanmar and Thailand. 4. The Chao Phraya Basin The most important and largest river basin in Thailand is the Chao Phraya Basin. The basin is the heart of the agricultural and economic activities in the country. The demand of water for agricultural and nonagricultural sectors has increased rapidly in recent years and the basin often faces acute shortages of water, especially in the dry season. [ omitted ] 5. Water diversion from Salween Basin The Government of Thailand has realized the problem of water shortage in the Chao Phraya Basin and has taken necessary steps to overcome the problem. The department of Energy Development and Promotion (DEDP), Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of the Government of Thailand, has initiated a project to examine the possibility of diverting water from the Salween River and its tributaries, mainly the Moei River to augment the flow into the Bhumibol Reservoir. The pre-feasibility of the "Moei - Salween - Chao Phraya Diversion Project" was prepared by Panya Consultants Co., Ltd. (DEDP. 1995). Several alternative diversion routes have been considered and analyzed to bring water from the Salween River and from the Moei River to the Bhumibol Reservoir. Another route from the Moei River to Bhumibol Reservoir via die Mae Song Dam was recently studied for its feasibility by Aggie Consult Co., Ltd. (DEDP, 1996). 5.1 Water diversion schemes Based on these studies, the four promising water diversion routes, two from the Salween River and two from the Moei River to the Bhumibol Reservoir are as follows: Route 1: Salween - Upper Yuam - Bhumibol Reservoir Route 2: Salween - Mae Lama Luang - Bhumibol Reservoir Route 3: Moei - Huai Khanaeng Dam - Bhumibol Reservoir Route 4: Moei - Mae Song Dam - Bhumibol Reservoir These four diversion routes are depicted in figure 4. The summary of main project features of the water diversion schemes from the Salween River are given in table 9 and from the Moei River are given in table 10. These alternative water diversion routes are briefly described below. [ omitted ] 5.2 Benefit areas Any one or more of the alternative diversion schemes presented above, if implemented, will benefit the Chao Phraya Basin of Thailand as a whole to a great extent in solving the frequently faced water shortage problem in the basin. Figure 5 [omitted] shows the location of existing large dams and irrigation projects in the Chao Pluaya Basin. The direct benefit in terms of water use for irrigation purposes, however, should concentrate in the Ping River Basin and the Chao Phraya Delta area where the water scarcity is critical, especially in the dry season (see Table 8). The preliminary simulation study was conducted with one diversion from Salween (Route 2) and one from Moei (Route 3) to Bhumibol to estimate additional area which can be irrigated. The results indicate that with the total diversion volume of about 3,500 MCM, an additional area of about 0.27 million ha (1.7 million rai) can be irrigated in the Chao Phraya Basin in the dry season (RID. 1999). The diversion schemes 2 and 3 will only partly meet the estimated water shortage of 6,164 MCM in Chao Phraya in 20 years from now (see Table 8). The Government of Thailand has to identify other sources to further increase the water supply in the basin from other nearby basins or reduce the water demand within the basin by improved water resources management. 5.2.1 Upper and lower Ping areas [ omitted ] 5. 2. 2 Chao Phraya Delta [ omitted ] 5.3 Project impacts The water diversion project will have both positive and negative impacts. The major positive impact of the project would be the increased and assured water availability in the Chao Phraya Basin, especially in the dry season. However, the construction of project facilities will adversely affect the environment surrounding them. The increased water availability will benefit die dry season cultivation, domestic water supply, salinity control, navigation and industrial uses in the Chao Phraya Basin. The incremental volume of water flowing into the Bhumibol Reservoir because of water from the Routes 2 and 3 will be in the order of 3,500 MCM per year. This amount is only about three per cent of the average annual flow in the Salween River. Figure 6 depicts the water level in Bhumibol without and with combined diversion from the Salween River (Route 2) and the Moei River (Route 3). Moreover, the diversion schemes 2 and 3 will generate additional energy of 1,152.0 GWh at the Bhumibol power plants. The benefit in terms of improved water availability will, however, occur at a certain cost of environmental degradation. Undesirable environmental impacts of the water diversion projects will mainly be due to the construction of dam and appurtenant structures, reservoir area, diversion tunnel, and transmission line. These development activities will have impact on people, reserved forest and watershed area. More in-depth study on environmental impact assessment is required to evaluate and quantify the project impacts and to suggest appropriate mitigation measures to minimize the adverse environmental impacts. 6. Conclusions and recommendations The Salween River is a virgin river with plenty of water resources. The available high flows in the river and its tributaries suggest tremendous potential of water resources development in the basin. The topography of the basin favors hydroelectric power development along the river and its tributaries. It is estimated that there is a total hydropower potential of about 12,000 MW on the Salween River alone. The basin can play a major role in supplying hydro-energy to serve the demand of electricity in Thailand and Myanmar in the future. Therefore, a systematic master planning study to come up with a realistic hydropower development plan for the Salween Basin is urgently required. The Salween River and its tributaries can provide water to the nearby basins where severe water shortage will occur due to increased economic development activities. From Thailand's perspective, an annual water diversion of about 3,500 MCM from the Salween and Moei Rivers together to the Chao Phraya River will help improve the water supply situation, especially during the dry season. About 0.27 million ha (1.7 million rai) of additional area can be irrigated in the dry season in the Chao Phraya Basin with the diverted water. It is worth mentioning that the diversion volume of 3,500 MCM is only about three per cent of the total annual flow in the Salween River and hence the diversion projects will not affect the flow regime and downstream demand in the Salween Basin. The feasibility study of the water diversion schemes, however, should consider pumping from the Salween and Moei Rivers only in the wet season so that the dry season flows in the rivers are not affected. Moreover, the ratio of amount of pumping to the flow in the Salween River or Moei River should be in proportion to its catchment area lying in Thailand to the total catchment area. Since the catchment area of the Salween Basin encompasses three countries. viz., China, Myanmar and Thailand, the water resource development in the basin should be based on mutual benefit and exchange of information among the parties concerned. A sound basin-wide approach should be adopted for planning, development and management of water resources for sustainable development and to tackle all possible environmental problems. Due consideration should be given to the social and environmental impacts, trans-boundary water issues, and water rights, laws, legislation and policies of these countries. An institutional framework should be developed at different levels in order to meet the long-term objectives of water resources development and management. Acknowledgements The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Department of Energy Promotion and Development (DEDP), Ministry of Science, Technology. and Environment, Royal Thai Government for permitting us to use some of the data and information from the pre-feasibility study of "The Moei Salween - Chao Phraya Diversion Project" in the paper. Sincere appreciation is also expressed to Prof. Ashim Das Gupta of the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand for providing valuable comments to improve the quality of the article. References Department of Energy Development and Promotion (DEDP). 1996. Feasibility Study of Moei - Mae Song - Bhumibol Reservoir Diversion Project, Final Report, prepared by Aggie Consult Co., Ltd., Bangkok. Thailand. Department of Energy Development and Promotion (DEDP). 1995. The Pre-feasibility Study of The Moei - Salween - Chao Phraya Diversion Project, Final Report, prepared by Panya Consultants Co., Ltd., Bangkok, Thailand. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). 1998. Personal communication and supply of data by EGAT from their archive. Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (EPDC). 1992. Preliminary Study on Hydropower Projects on Rivers Bordering Thailand-Myanmar, Final Report. prepared for NEA of Thailand and MEPE of Myanmar. Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC). 1998. Pre-feasibility Study Ta Sang Hydropower Project in the union of Myanmar, Final Report, prepared by LAHMEYER INTERNATIONAL. Germany. Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE). 1998. Preliminary Feasibility Study of Hutgyi Hydropower Project in the Union of Myanmar, Final Report, prepared by NEWJEC INC., Japan. Royal Irrigation Department (RID). 1999. Chao Phraya Water Management Project, Draft Final Report, prepared by Panya Consultants Co., Ltd., Bangkok, Thailand. World Resources Institute (WRI). 1996. World Resources 1996-97, a joint publication by WRI, UNEP, UNDP, and WB, Oxford University Press. List and explanation of abbreviations and acronyms GWh Giga watt-hour ha Hectare km Kilometer(s) km2 Square kilometer(s) km3 Cubic kilometer(s) kW Kilo-watt m Meter(s) m3 Cubic meter(s) m3/s Cubic meters per second MCM Million cubic meters MSL Mean Sea Level MW Mega watt(s) rai Thai unit of area measurement (1 ha = 6.25 rai) UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme WB World Bank WRI World Resources Institute ******************************************** (3) SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS (SHAN): The Salween Dam Mineral Survey Continues March 17, 2000 Since November, a geological survey to ascertain mineral potential along the Salween basin has been going on, said a S.H.A.N. source from the north. Dr. Min Sway from the Department of Geology, University of Rangoon, and his team went into the Tasang area, between Mongton Township, eastern Shan State, and Mongpan Township, southern Shan State, on 8 November with the drilling team of GMS Power from Bangkok. The team of 4 led by Dr. Min Sway was reported in Nawnglurh, a village halfway between Tasang and Mongpan again on 18 February doing a survey under protection from LIB 520 (Mongpan) commanded by Maj. Myo Kyaw. According to the latest report, the team was up in the north in Loisang-Namlam, south of Tangyan, under the escort of LIB 507 (Lashio) on 8 March. Details of their findings are not in the report. The Shan State is reported to be the richest in natural resources in Burma. A GMS source told S.H.A.N. that it would want to excavate all the marketable minerals in the expected flood area before the dam is finished. A Thai team, led by Dr. Suphorn Khuttathep from Chiangmai University, is expected to conduct a socio-environmental impact assessment in the coming months. The dam project on the Salween has been facing opposition both from the groups in the Shan State and environmental organizations since the outset in late 1998. ///END\\\ For further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at: Shan Herald Agency for News. P.O. Box. 15, Nonghoi P.O., 50007, Chiangmai, Thailand e-mail: