Project Description
The Community-based River Basin Management (CRBM) project was implemented by the Khammouane Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment (PoNRE) and The Asia Foundation (TAF) in nine villages across Xebangfai and Mahaxai districts in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR. Serving a population of over 11,000 people, the project aimed to build capacity among government officials and local communities to apply integrated water resources management (IWRM) principles to sustainably manage and protect the Xe Bang Fai River basin. ICEM was engaged to support the project by conducting training on nature-based solutions (NbS) for river basin management and performing technical wetland assessments in Mahaxai District.
Objectives, Activities and Results
ICEM’s work comprised two main components. First, a one-day training workshop on NbS for river basin, wetland, and urban management was delivered to representatives from key government ministries and nine villages in the Xebangfai River Basin. Second, a wetland assessment in Mahaxai District was conducted, including site visits, hydrological system analysis, and topographic measurements. A water balance assessment was carried out to identify suitable sites for wetland restoration based on inflow/outflow dynamics and soil conditions. ICEM then developed conceptual wetland enhancement designs and translated them into georeferenced maps and engineering drawings for implementation planning.
