PP 7.1 THE ROLE OF BASIN PP 7.1 THE ROLE OF BASIN PLANNERSPLANNERS

The Roles of Basin planners

Basin planners have three main Basin planners have three main roles:roles:

Bringing together knowledgeBringing together knowledge Identifying stakeholders; andIdentifying stakeholders; and Understanding (and working within) the Understanding (and working within) the

planning institutional arrangements.planning institutional arrangements.

Bringing knowledge together ?Bringing knowledge together ?

Basin planners are in a good position to Basin planners are in a good position to bring together knowledge. bring together knowledge.

They are usually the person linking They are usually the person linking knowledge to decision-makersknowledge to decision-makers

They are usually the person who brings They are usually the person who brings together knowledge and tools from together knowledge and tools from experts, modellers and information experts, modellers and information managersmanagers

Where might the knowledge come from ?Where might the knowledge come from ?

Information Managers

Where might the knowledge come from ?Where might the knowledge come from ?

Experts – scientific or local – can identify Experts – scientific or local – can identify the benefits people get from the shared the benefits people get from the shared resourcesresources

Modellers – can provide estimates of what Modellers – can provide estimates of what might be the future benefits if there are might be the future benefits if there are changeschanges

Information Managers – can bring Information Managers – can bring information together (spatial data for information together (spatial data for example)example)

Knowledge-based planningKnowledge-based planning

Knowledge about what ?Knowledge about what ?

The shared resources of the Basin and how The shared resources of the Basin and how people benefit from the shared resources (the people benefit from the shared resources (the current situation)current situation)

About how the benefits might change if there About how the benefits might change if there is a change in the shared resources (future is a change in the shared resources (future scenarios)scenarios)

Example – the Dai fishery in Tonle SapExample – the Dai fishery in Tonle Sap Experts can tells us the relationship between Experts can tells us the relationship between

the Dai fishery and the amount of reverse the Dai fishery and the amount of reverse flow into Tonle Sapflow into Tonle Sap

Relationship between the Dai Fish Catch (tonnes) & Tonle Sap River Annual Reverse Flows (exluding overland flows from the Mekong River)

y = 0.3112x + 1655.8

R2 = 0.921

-2,0004,0006,0008,000

10,00012,00014,00016,00018,000

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000

Tonle Sap Reverse Flow Volumes

To

tal D

ai F

ish

Ca

tch

(to

nn

es

)

Example – the Dai fishery in Tonle SapExample – the Dai fishery in Tonle Sap

Modellers can use this information to give Modellers can use this information to give a prediction (a future scenario) of the a prediction (a future scenario) of the impact of flow change on the Dai fisheryimpact of flow change on the Dai fishery

Basin planners as communicatorsBasin planners as communicators

Decision-makers rarely have the time to Decision-makers rarely have the time to understand the full complexity of the Basinunderstand the full complexity of the Basin

Planners have a important role in simplifying Planners have a important role in simplifying issues so that they can be understood:issues so that they can be understood: Graphs, maps and pictures are good ways of Graphs, maps and pictures are good ways of

presenting complex informationpresenting complex information

Stakeholder engagementStakeholder engagement

Basin planners must be able to identify Basin planners must be able to identify stakeholders, andstakeholders, and

Be aware of what stakeholder Be aware of what stakeholder engagement is required (even if they engagement is required (even if they cannot do the engagement themselves)cannot do the engagement themselves)

Key questions in stakeholder Key questions in stakeholder engagementengagement

Who has an interest in water resource Who has an interest in water resource development ?development ?

Why do they have an interest in water Why do they have an interest in water resource development ? resource development ?

How can they be engaged ?How can they be engaged ?

Institutional arrangements – role of a Institutional arrangements – role of a plannerplanner

Understanding the responsibilities of the various Understanding the responsibilities of the various agencies that are involved in water and other agencies that are involved in water and other natural resource management (water resource, natural resource management (water resource, environment, agriculture, forestry);environment, agriculture, forestry);

Understanding the responsibilities at different Understanding the responsibilities at different levels of government (national, provincial and levels of government (national, provincial and local);local);

Understanding the role of other key water Understanding the role of other key water resource coordination bodies, most importantly, resource coordination bodies, most importantly, river basin organisations.river basin organisations.

Focus Point: Guidelines for co‐ordinating basin management

• Encourage a ‘learn by doing’ approach and create ways of learning from past experiences.

• Establish ‘rules’ for co‐ordination (who is involved), whether it is binding or permissive (what can be

done) and the basis for involvement (law, policy, informal agreement).

• Establish integrated action across all natural resource issues in the basin.

• Ensure basin‐wide planning procedures balance all user needs, enhance water quality, provide

protection from water related hazards, ensure agreement on commitments within the basin, and

monitor agreements.