Photo: PB CC0
The 3S Basin
The three basins are collectively known as the 3S basin, which is the only trans-boundary tributary of the Mekong. Together, the Sekong, Sesan and Sre Pok (3S) rivers shared by Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Viet Nam, contribute up to 18 percent of the Mekong’s annual total discharge, making these rivers instrumental in the hydrology of the lower Mekong. The 3S river basin is also an important means of livelihood for about 3.5 million people - it supports numerous fisheries and is a rich source of sand and alluvial gold.
The 3S rivers provide freshwater supply to urban communities in Viet Nam, in addition to being the main transportation route in the highlands during the wet season. As the region develops, the rivers are expected to continue playing a significant role in the economic growth of the basin – in this case, as a source of hydropower.
In ensuring efficient allocation of water resources for the various development needs of the 3S basin, trans-boundary cooperation is necessary. IUCN, with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, will support the creation of appropriate frameworks for trans-boundary cooperation for the 3S basin.
As a preliminary approach to fostering collaborative water governance in the 3S basin, the BRIDGE initiative supports the formulation of a basin-wide roadmap for trans-boundary cooperation. In the Sesan and Sre Pok river basins, efforts will concentrate on the development of country-driven frameworks, whereas in the Sekong basin, there will be an emphasis on facilitating the establishment of a bilateral river basin committee.
Simultaneously, training programmes on water resources management concepts, such as environmental flows, benefit sharing and hydro-diplomacy will be offered to local leadership to enhance governance capacities and to encourage the creation of knowledge networks.
This initiative also aims to collect and consolidate information on the basin to facilitate collaborative water management, as well as to build capacity of key stakeholders on benefit sharing, water quality, environmental flows, water governance and flood management.
