Project Description
As part of GIZ’s Technical Cooperation (TC) module on Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Lower Mekong Basin, ICEM delivered Output 2, which supported joint environmental monitoring of two major hydropower projects in Lao PDR: Don Sahong and Xayaburi. The overall module aimed to improve cooperation between Mekong River Commission (MRC) member states and support MRC’s decentralization agenda by enhancing regional capacity and addressing national bottlenecks to cross-boundary collaboration. Output 2 focused on assessing the transboundary environmental impacts of hydropower development in a region where ecological and livelihood systems are highly interconnected.
Objectives, Activities, and Results
ICEM led monitoring efforts for hydrology and sediment, water quality and aquatic ecology, and fisheries, including fish passage functionality at the two dam sites. The project established an independent monitoring system, developed a compatible environmental database linked to the MRC Secretariat’s evolving platform, and collected and analyzed field data to assess environmental impacts. ICEM procured, installed, and calibrated monitoring equipment; built capacity among national monitoring teams; and organized regional workshops. The project produced at least five jointly developed mitigation recommendations, contributing to evidence-based management and regional dialogue on the environmental sustainability of hydropower in the Lower Mekong Basin.
