Project

Solutions and Opportunities in managing water Storage to reduce transboundary water-related disaster risks and to address multiple water demands (SOS)

The Solutions and Opportunities in managing water Storage to reduce transboundary water-related disaster risks and to address multiple water demands (SOS) project aims to develop inclusive and sustainable solutions for managing water storage options that optimize disaster risk reduction, diversify benefits for water, energy, and climate security, and foster transboundary cooperation and governance.

Active project

2023–2025

Project contact

Ridhi Saluja / ridhi.saluja@sei.org

Dam — Photo: Nopparuj Lamaikul / Unsplash.

This project will synthesize good practices from eight water storage systems (five infrastructure and three wetlands systems), identify key factors influencing stakeholder benefit sharing, and develop a pathway for equitable sharing for multiple water demands.

While mapping key stakeholders across Thailand and Lao PDR, SOS will focus on defining equitable benefits while analyzing existing practices. Based on these findings, solutions and investment opportunities will be co-developed for high-potential water storage systems in Thailand and Lao PDR.

Through rapid institutional capacity needs assessment, cross-learning workshops, and peer-to-peer learning, the project will empower KBPIO, local communities, operators, and policymakers on GEDSI, managing multiple demands and co-designing management solutions.

Background

Water storage is crucial in promoting socio-economic development and ensuring ecosystem sustainability in the Mekong region. It enhances water, energy, and food security and mitigates climate risks, including floods and droughts.

Over the past 20 years, the infrastructure water storage systems in the Mekong, particularly hydropower reservoirs, have increased significantly from 8.6 km³ (2% of its mean annual discharge) in 2008 to 86.8 km³(19% of its mean annual discharge) in 2025. Of these storage systems, the majority of hydropower reservoirs are used only for energy production as a result of the power purchase agreement. Hence, there is a strong concern from Mekong stakeholders regarding coordination and equitable benefit sharing arising from these water storages. On the other hand, water storage in wetlands and floodplains has markedly decreased in recent decades.

These trends indicate that Mekong has experienced a sharp decline in ecosystem services, especially in terms of flood and drought resilience. This trend raises risks for vulnerable and marginalized communities heavily reliant on wetlands and floodplain water storage.

Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding potential solutions for coordinated actions for water storage management—both infrastructure and natural storage—to maximize multiple benefits at national and regional scales. Moreover, an understanding of how these benefits can be equitably shared is critical, encompassing not only economic benefits but wider societal benefits.

The goal is to develop inclusive and sustainable solutions for managing water storage options that optimize disaster risk reduction, i.e., floods and droughts under climate change while diversifying benefits for water, energy, and food security of vulnerable communities and fostering transboundary cooperation and governance in the Mekong. Four objectives identified to achieve this goal are:

To synthesize good practices of eight water storage systems (five infrastructure and three wetlands systems)
Using a GEDSI lens, identify key factors influencing benefit sharing among stakeholders, especially vulnerable and marginalized groups, and develop a pathway that ensures equitable sharing for multiple water demands
To co-develop solutions and investment opportunities for selected high-potential water storage systems (one system each in Thailand and Lao PDR) for multiple water demands
Empower KBPIO, local communities, operators, and policymakers on GEDSI, managing multiple demands, ensuring benefit sharing, and co-designing management solutions

1. Synthesis and analysis of existing knowledge

- Synthesize current practices and conduct comparative analysis
- Analyze processes and drivers influencing decision-making and benefit-sharing

2. Stakeholder engagement and defining equity

- Stakeholder mapping to identify vulnerable groups worst affected by water storage management decisions
- A baseline to understand current power dynamics in terms of access, control, and participation in decision-making for water storage management
- Define equitable benefit sharing for water storage options – infrastructure and natural

3. Gender equality, disability, and social inclusion

- Develop a GEDSI plan
- Evaluate existing mechanisms for GEDSI inclusion
- Share guidelines for GEDSI integration within water storage management options

4. Solutions and investment planning

- Assess and optimize prioritized choices to maximize benefits, reduce disaster risks, and ensure equitable benefit-sharing
- Co-develop feasible investment plans with key stakeholders

5. Knowledge sharing and capacity building

- Conduct rapid capacity needs assessment
- Facilitate cross-learning workshops to share insights and experiences
- Enable peer-to-peer learning for GEDSI integration, co-knowledge production, policy influence, and solution adoption pathways

Key deliverables

Compendium of good practices for equitable storage benefits
Peer-reviewed paper showcasing equitable sharing and GEDSI inclusion within water storage management
Practical solutions and investment plans for selected sites in Thailand and Lao PDR for multiple benefits and equitable benefit sharing
Communications products for policy influence and action planning
GIS and modeling tools for decision support to optimize water storage options
Summary report on the flagship research study