ID :
17759
Tue, 09/02/2008 - 11:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/17759
The shortlink copeid
MRC, China renew agreement on provision of hydrological information
(KPL) China and the other countries of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) decided to build on their existing relations by renewing the agreement to share data on flood season water flows in the Lancang-Mekong River.
The agreement on provision of hydrological information was signed in Vientiane on 29 August by the Ministry of Water Resources of China and the MRC. The signing was an important event of the Thirteenth Dialogue Meeting between the MRC and its Dialogue Partners, China and Myanmar. It also marked the end of this five-day meeting.
The Lancang –Mekong River originating in China runs through six countries, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Natural flooding events during the monsoon season follow different patterns each year, meaning that accurate data on rainfall and water flows throughout the river basin is needed so that timely flood warnings can be delivered to people downstream likely to be affected.
As a Dialogue Partner of the MRC, China has since 2002 provided the MRC Secretariat with daily water level and rainfall data from two Lancang River hydrological stations at Yunjinghong and Man’an during the flood season from 15 June till 15 October each year.
This information has improved the quality of flood forecasting for the Mekong River and played a significant role in reducing losses caused by floods in the MRC member countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
All four MRC member states and the Secretariat expressed their appreciation of China’s cooperation on this matter. The member states recognised that the data supplied during the recent flooding in Laos and Thailand made an important contribution to preparations for emergency and relief work in the affected countries.
The Chinese authorities and the MRC are now preparing a first seminar on waterway safety and navigation. The seminar, to be held in Yunnan, southwestern China, in October, will bring together navigation professionals to focus on the physical aspects of navigation safety, especially river navigation.
The long-term aims are to combine the efforts of all the Mekong nations to reduce navigation accidents, increase knowledge on the significance of the environment and ecology of the river within the framework of water-borne transport and design an action plan for mitigating the environmental and social impacts of any river transportation and supporting infrastructure works.
The agreement on provision of hydrological information was signed in Vientiane on 29 August by the Ministry of Water Resources of China and the MRC. The signing was an important event of the Thirteenth Dialogue Meeting between the MRC and its Dialogue Partners, China and Myanmar. It also marked the end of this five-day meeting.
The Lancang –Mekong River originating in China runs through six countries, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Natural flooding events during the monsoon season follow different patterns each year, meaning that accurate data on rainfall and water flows throughout the river basin is needed so that timely flood warnings can be delivered to people downstream likely to be affected.
As a Dialogue Partner of the MRC, China has since 2002 provided the MRC Secretariat with daily water level and rainfall data from two Lancang River hydrological stations at Yunjinghong and Man’an during the flood season from 15 June till 15 October each year.
This information has improved the quality of flood forecasting for the Mekong River and played a significant role in reducing losses caused by floods in the MRC member countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
All four MRC member states and the Secretariat expressed their appreciation of China’s cooperation on this matter. The member states recognised that the data supplied during the recent flooding in Laos and Thailand made an important contribution to preparations for emergency and relief work in the affected countries.
The Chinese authorities and the MRC are now preparing a first seminar on waterway safety and navigation. The seminar, to be held in Yunnan, southwestern China, in October, will bring together navigation professionals to focus on the physical aspects of navigation safety, especially river navigation.
The long-term aims are to combine the efforts of all the Mekong nations to reduce navigation accidents, increase knowledge on the significance of the environment and ecology of the river within the framework of water-borne transport and design an action plan for mitigating the environmental and social impacts of any river transportation and supporting infrastructure works.
