University of Oregon SOLAR INCIDENTS The Newsletter of the Solar Information Center Vol. 6 No. 3 SPRING 1996

What is the Solar Changing Course Information Center? Water Shortage and Interbasin Water Transfer from the Salween Basin, Thailand. By Atiya Achakulwisut It is a student run Scarcity and Abundance the water is not evaporated or absorbed. In organization sponsored spite of this natural abundance, however, by the ASUO and “In the time of Father King Ram Khamhaeng this land of Thailand now suffers from a shortage of EWEB. The purpose Sukhothai is good. In the waters are fish; in the fields are water. Competition for water among agri- rice.” (Pramoj 1990: 17) -circa 1238 CE of the center is to serve cultural, urban and industrial sectors as well as a research, educa- This stone inscription, dating back over 700 as upstream and downstream users is in- tion, and information years to Sukhotha, an ancient kingdom of the tense. Competition is normally heightened center on solar energy Thai, thoroughly captures the people’s percep- from November to May, when the monsoon and alternative ener- tion of their resources. Never did the Thai rain gives way to a long dry season. Water scarcity is most critical in the gies, and their applica- people imagine that the abundance would de- Central Plain of Thailand. Surrounded by tions in architecture cline, that one day the cornucopia of fish and rice would be a mere myth and that the water mountains to the west, north and east, the and technology. would run dry. central region consists mostly of the Chao One of its vital func- Located in the tropical zone to the south Phraya basin, the largest in Thailand. The tions is to sponsor a of China and to the west of India (see map page area is characterized by flood plains and lecture series on local, 8), peninsular Thailand has an abundance of lowlands suitable for rice production. Known regional and global freshwater. It is nurtured by 25 major rivers, as the “ricebowl of Thailand,” this heartland energy issues to with enough rain—an average of 800 million includes farm lands, rice fields, industries promote a higher cubic meters per year—to hold a 1.7 meter-high and Bangkok—the country’s capital and most flood throughout the country, provided that urbanized city. awareness toward Continued on p. 8 conservation and renewable energy. The Bioregionalism in the Realm of Architecture, Part III center also provides an by Mark Serhus in-house information source of books, This is the last of a three-part series on bioregionalism and architecture. The first part, which appeared periodicals, abstracts, in the Fall issue originated as a term paper for a Political Science class, “The Politics of Ecology”. The proceedings, topic- second part expounded on the merits of bioregionalism in architecture and how bioregionalism may well files, and product-files. develop into a discernible vernacular style. In this part, I set out to explore the economic parameters of material products selection in light of a bioregional ethic. SPECIAL THANKS A Unique Way of Living TO EWEB FOR Visualize María Hernández walking away from the rail stop towards the Sabin THEIR CONTINUED neighborhood where she lives. A cool breeze blows through the Rose Quarter Arboretum off SUPPORT! the Willamette River and the smell of alder and jasmine hint the promise of a sunny warm summer ahead. She is returning from a Sustainable Arts Workshop where she demonstrated the latest clean air technology. She walks along a wide pedestrian path lined with community gardens. The elaborate raised garden beds are constructed out of chunks of the asphalt and Continued on p. 2 Bioregionalism Continued from p. 1

concrete that years ago had ernment can no longer sell the envi- their purpose as a ballast for ronment for the right to pollute or S the internal combustion devastate. Integrated environmental transportation network. management and As she steps into her home are the biggest “industries”. for the first time in 10 hours it is warm Bioregionalism is the domi- SOLAR and light, a comfort. She checks the nant political paradigm that allows INFORMATION air quality monitors, then heads to her social and economic growth within indoor garden to harvest dinner. the carrying capacity of the land while CENTER This is her domain. A fully being supplemented by inter- 219 Pacific Hall sustainable home that provides her bioregional trade. Nation states have University of Oregon with all of her needs to live. Her home given way to region states that have (541) 346-3696 is totally dependent on the climate situated themselves with the neces- e-mail: [email protected] and the land that it rests. Her house sary critical mass to be self-reliant http://darkwing. catches drinking water from the sky; and prudent regional traders. uoregon.edu~sic/ runs appliances and grows food from Bioregionalism “is not utter the light rays of the sun; regenerates self-sufficiency or the end of trade, her consumer wastes for but a self-reliance in basic provisions Directors: reuse; and maintains the warm ambi- for reasons including community se- ROSS LEVENTHAL ent air with highly insulative walls JASON McLENNAN curity, ecological and and thermally sustaining mass. personal fulfillment. While not ab- Staff: Doing business at home is the juring material comfort, most ARIENNE BUFFUM norm for sustaining households. Us- bioregionalists advocate some level SANDRA LEIBOWITZ ing the internet not only to communi- of voluntary simplicity; viewing mod- CHARLES LINK cate but to sustain herself economi- MATTHEW SWETT ern as evidence of a REIKO UCHINDA cally, she earns “light points” for of- spiritual void left by the shattering of JASON WILKINSON fering valuable information on the human communities and their con- “economic domain network”. She will nection with nature. Restoration of Interns: use her earnings to trade material re- community life within the greater ATIYA ACHAKULWISUT sources and to for health ser- CORYON REDD community of nature is the core goal vices. It is the year 2147, gone are the of bioregionalism” (Mazza). Volunteers: neoclassical economic models of the The architecture of this LARA DOWNS past. bioregional culture is the model of RON MILAN The monetary, commodities the society. This bioregional archi- THERESE PEFFER and corporate systems have vanished. ROBERTO SERRALLES tecture would ELIZA BETH SHERMAN Autonomous communities have risen (1) reflect local resources VALERIE WEDEL from the age of ecological demise. (2) be built to benefit from Forever gone are the days of transfer- the climate (not just withstand it) Advisors: ring our ecological problems across (3) embrace a local culture JOHN BALDWIN space (shipping nuclear waste, build- G.Z. BROWN (4)stylistically reflect re- VIRGINIA CARTWRIGHT ing smokestacks), across time (pass- sources, climate, and culture in much DAVID McDANIELS ing it onto the next generation), and the same way that ancient vernacular ROB PEÑA through a visual change (burning, architecture has done. JOHN REYNOLDS burying or land-filling wastes). These CHUCK RUSCH are the days when the ideas of the STEPHEN STILL The Ecological Truth WILL STURGES architects Pliny Fisk, Sim Van der Ryn, The fictional story about FRANK VIGNOLA and Buckminister Fuller have come to María is the prophetic end to an era light. The ultimate resource is human where society asked, “how long will ingenuity. we continue to do things the old This is the day not only when way?” It will take decades to change green is good, but essential for exist- our typical day-to-day ways in this ence. Social ecology pervades society consumer based society. The place to as people witness a co-evolution be- start is to identify who and where we tween humankind and nature. Gov- are.

2 Stuart Cowan of the Ecological (2) Impact analysis Design Institute urges designers to de- attempts to weigh the data New Library fine their “”. In the from the inventory analysis 96 keynote speech at the annual meeting based on the relative impor- Lists in Progress of the Architects, Designers, and Plan- tance of the environmental effects The Solar Information ners for Social Responsibility he quotes that they quantify (Spicer); Center Library List, the work of Canadian planners Will- (3) Improvement analysis which currently iam Rees and Mathis Wackernagel: allows for the redesign of the product, process or activity. includes over 150 book “They reckon that a typical Vancouverite re- Impact analysis will be highly titles, will be expanded quires 2.7 acres for food, 1.2 acres for forest subjective—though necessary—for this spring to include products, and 8.6 acres for bio-mass based fuels. critical ecological judgments to be periodicals, reports, Extrapolating these figures to the Bay Area, it made. Another option would be to would take a piece of ecologically productive and videos as well as land the size of California to renewably provide investigate how a material’s by-prod- new book titles. for just the food, forest products, and fuel for the uct could be generated as a resource, Once completed, this Bay Area!” not as a waste. The LCA materials new information will and process accounting model could We have entered an age of eco- well endure as the ecological guide- appear at our website, logical enlightenment where we as de- line of how our built environments along with the cur- signers are questioning conventions. impact our bioregion and the rently on-line book list. Designers are discovering that the bot- bioregion to which the materials are All are welcome to use tom line, lowest bidder, and the “most indigenous. LCA is an excellent ex- the library during popular is the cheapest” mentality is ample of how professionals outside of regular office hours; costing our society greatly. The build- the field of design are providing valu- most holdings may ing industry generates at least 20% of able information for designers. also be checked out for the solid waste, consumes more than 11% of the total energy, and produces Success through Interdisciplinary up to two weeks with a 30% of the greenhouse gases in the Approach refundable deposit. nation (Johnson). Bioregionalism was pio- For a free printed copy As designers of the built envi- neered through the disciplines of ag- of the current Library ronment we play the most crucial role. riculture, economics, geography, po- List, please call us at Architects, designers and planners set litical science, planning and social 346-3696 or stop by the stage for the success or ruin of policy. Architect Pliny Fisk of the 219 Pacific Hall. society. As Cowan states, “A Center for Maximum Potential Build- celebratory ecological aesthetic, com- ing Systems has been the leader in the bined with greatly increased energy field of bioregionalism for designers. New on the Solar and materials efficiency, systematic Fisk’s gift is that he sees no bound- Center Web Site this detoxification, and careful resource aries in the discipline of architecture. spring is a links page to stewardship, can take us a long way Fisk established a complete sites related to renew- towards a truly sustainable economy.” process of resource classification that able energy, alternative will yield a true bioregional architec- building technologies Life Cycle Costs ture. The success of this unique meth- and architecture. We One way of discovering the odology can be attributed to the fact also have a new logo. ecological truth about the materials that architecture does not exist in a selections we make is to identify and vacuum. Architecture is, like the We will be adding quantify the environmental impacts on ancient vernacular structures of in- links, putting the the bioregion. The Society for Environ- digenous people, thoroughly reliant newsletter online and mental Toxicology and Chemistry on the resources of the land. If we are continuing develop- (SETAC) has established three compo- to be successful ecological designers ment of the site nents of life cycle analysis (LCA): one must remove themselves from throughout the term. (1) Inventory analysis catalogs the pressures of convention and the http://darkwing. and quantifies the energy, raw mate- myopic view of our profession. uoregon.edu~sic/ rial requirements, atmospheric emis- In the book Ecological Design sions, waterborne effluents and solid Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan wastes; Continued on p. 4 3 Sustainable Community Solutions Exhibit Visits the "Hearth" Bioregionalism April 1 - 19 Continued from p. 3

emplore designers to make the only one small step at a time, we will be The University heading in the right direction. A step shift beyond our newly defined  of Oregon’s Wilcox S ecological paradigms to balance back is what is needed for a better future Hearth Café (room 266 architecture and ecology Lawrence Hall) will proudly throughout all aspects of design, construc- Bibliography display the winning entries of tion and culture. the American Institute of Alexander, Donald "Bioregionalism: Science or Architects (AIA) and Interna- “The second generation of ecological design must Sensibility" Environmental Ethics v. tional Union of Architects (UIA) effectively weave the insights of literally dozens of 12, Summer 1990, pp. 161-174. Andruss, Van et al. Home! A Bioregional Reader. 1993 world competition, A Call disciplines. It must create a viable ecological design craft within a genuine culture of sustainability *Berg, Peter A Metamorphosis for Cities: From for Sustainable Community rather than getting entangled in interdisciplinary Gray to Green Solutions this spring. This disputes and turf wars. It is time to bring forth Berg, Peter Putting “Bio” in Front of Regional. milestone competition was held new ecologies of design that are rich with cultural Berg, Peter et al. A Green City Program. in conjunction with the June and epistemological diversity” (Van der Ryn, Berry, Wendell What are People for? 1993 World Congress of the UIA Cowan) Berry, Wendell Home Economics. and the annual convention of Calthorpe, Peter and Van der Ryn, Sim the AIA, the common theme of The Wealth of the Natural Economy Sustainable Communities which was Designing for a Historically, communities have Coates, Gary, Editor Resettling America. Sustainable Future: “a call to always looked out for the common good. *Cowan, Stuart The Great Work and the Economics of Sustainability. architects, planners, engineers, The world-wide human community and the natural economy upon which we rely Eckersley, Robyn Environmentalism and designers, humanists, and social is an isolated system on this biosphere Political Theory. scientists from around the called earth. The scale of the global eco- Fisk, III, Pliny Bioregional Compendium. world to demonstrate whole logical crisis is gargantuan, and for some, Fisk, III, Pliny Indigenous Building Materials system, interdisciplinary it is easier to look the other way. Compendium. approaches to designing sus- First, designers needs to realize Fisk, III, Pliny et al. Towards Sustainable tainable habitats”. the wealth of the natural economy on the Building. local level. By identifying and becoming Fisk, III, Pliny “Resource-Responsive Homes” In Winning submissions explore intimately familiar with the resources of Context n.35, pp.20. four thematic areas: the bioregion a sense of pride will de- Frenkel, Stephen “Old Theories in New Places?” -Energy & Resource Efficiency velop. Next, one can assess their material Professional Geographer v.46, n.3 pp. 289-295. -Healthy Buildings & Materials consumption by identifying wastes and investigating where these materials came Holmes, Hannah “Being Bioregional” Garbage -Land Use & Urban Ecology from and where they will end up in the March ‘92, pp.32-39. -Comprehensive & Integrated bioregion. Additionally, we need to as- Johnson, Andy et al. R.E.D.I Guide, University Systems sess the long-term value of our material of Oregon MaterialsResource Center. possessions and to figure what attribute *Mazza, Patrick Lifeplace or Markerplace: This traveling exhibit showcases they have in lives and our bioregion. The Bioregions, Region States, and the creative and elegant solutions to final step would be a global view of our Contested Turf of Regionalism. the challenges of sustainable material lives: Are the materials from Miller, Donald L. Lewis Mumford, A Life. building and development beyond our bioregion having a negative *NGO Environmental Caucus for the World around the world. It will impact on the indigenous bioregion. Summit on Social Development Declaration of the Right to Sustainable inspire many Hearth-goers A Step Back for a Better Future Societies. while serving as a relevant One of the basic aspects of living Oliver, Paul Dwellings, The House Across the backdrop during the 1996 Eco- a life that respects ecology is to live in a World. Design Arts Conference: simple manner. Indigenous cultures offer Rocky Mountain Institute A Primer on Changing Paradigm, Changing some of the most profound insight into Sustainable Building. Place (April 11-14). how superfluous our lives are. We, in the Rousseau, David "Green Materials Selection" Please explore this important west, are taught to weave a very complex EcoBuilding Times Northwest exhibit during the Hearth’s web of existence. We often don’t realize EcoBuilding Guild. business hours: M-F, 8am-5pm. how self-degradating our existence is un- Sale, Kirkpatrick Dwellers in the Land. til we witness a horrific ecological disaster *Spicer, Andrew Life Cycle Analysis University Sponsored by: on a large scale (e.g., an oil spill, the plume of Windsor. Steen, Athena et al. The Straw Bale House Book. The Solar Information Center from a paper mill, or the overwhelming size of a landfill). We have had enough Van der Ryn, Sim and Cowan, Stuart Ecological Holistic Options for Planet Earth ecological warnings to warrant a reassess- Design. Sustainability (HOPES) ment of our values and convictions in this Department of Architecture material world. Cascadia Planet advo- *Netscape documents; Topic: Bioregional School of Architecture & Allied Arts cates us to simply, “Take a step back”. If Architecture

4 THE SOLAR INFORMATION CENTER SPRING LECTURE SERIES & To register for the upcoming EVENTS CALENDAR 1996 Eco-Design Arts Conference, contact HOPES @ (541) 346-0719, For more information, please contact us at 346-3696. [email protected] "Sustainable Community Solutions" An Exposition of the AIA's Design Competition Winning Entries of '93 96 April 1-19, 1996, room 266 Lawrence Hall (see pg. 4 for more information) "Architecture- Planning Ecology" @ 1996 ECO Design Arts Conference by Pliny Fisk Saturday, April 13, 5 pm, room177 Lawrence Hall, U of O Pliny Fisk III is the founder and co-director of The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems in Austin, Texas. Both an archi- tect and a landscape architect, his pioneering research focuses on the role of appropriate technologies in architectural design wihtin which he has developed a strong reputation for environmental design that is responsive to regional and cultural concerns. In recent years he has worked with city officials to develop Austin's Green Builder Program; an internationally recognized model for locally- based sustainable initiatives. He has won numerous awards including First Place on the 1986 National Endowment for the Arts De- signing for Area Resource Efficiency Competition "The Global Living Project" by Jim Merkel Thursday, April 25, 7:30 pm, room 177 Lawrence Hall, U of O Jim Merkel, founder of the Global Living Project will lead an interactive presentation on living your dreams- while reducing human impact on the Earth. Drawing on such resources as "Our Ecological Footprint," and "Your Money or Your Life," he seeks to bring to- gether the tools necessary to live in harmony with one's values. His lecture will draw upon examples from sustainable living in Kerala India, the Himalayas, and North America. Jim Merkel worked for 12 years as a military engineer before seeing the urgency of the Earth's problems. For the past 6 years he has volunteered his energy towards global sustainability, , and world peace. "The Renewable Energy Fair" Friday, April 26, 10 am- 5 pm, EMU Courtyard, U of O The fair will feature exhibits by local renewable energy organizations and a variety of related events, with the expressed goal of bring- ing new understandings of renewable energy and its applications in architecture and technology to the public. The following is a list of the events that will be taking place during the course of the day:

"The Global Living Project"-Brown Bag discussion with Jim Merkel 206 Lawrence Hall @ 12-1 pm An informal and interactive discussion in which issues raised in the prior evening's lecture may be discussed in greater depth.

"NEVCO- Research and Development of Electric Vehicles" EMU Courtyard @ 1 pm A demonstration of the "Alpha" prototype of an electric vehicle scheduled for production this spring. NEVCO is a local company based in Eugene, Oregon.

"Solar Cooker Demonstration Workshop"* -by the Staff of Aprovecho 185 Lawrence Hall @ 3-5 pm The Aprovecho Research Center, located in Cottage Grove, OR is known for their dedicated work in the field of . In this workshop, three Aprovecho staff members will teach the design, construction, and use of a variety of solar cooking devices. Registration is limited to 15 particpants—contact the Solar Information Center in advance or sign up at our table during the Renewable Energy Fair. *This workshop is being held in honor of Harriet Kofalk, a wonderful member of the Eugene community who died recently. Harriet was a solar cooking teacher and advocate, as well a beautiful person who lived and wrote eloquently about such peaceful practices as garden ing and cooking in harmony with the seasons. She wrote several books, including The Peaceful Cook: More than a Cookbook, Solar Cooking, and Angels in my Garden. "The Way We Build Our Houses- A Case Study of Sustainable Construction" by Robert Bolman Thursday, May 9, 7:30 pm, room 177 Lawrence Hall, U of O Robert Bolman is an artist and contractor who has taken it upon himself to discover alternatives to the "Street of Dreams" housing typology and its related negative social and environmental impacts. His lecture will cover such diverse techniques as cob, straw bale, ceramic, and "Earthship" construction. His experience has been direct and hands on, including many workshops with pioneers such as Michael Reynolds and the Natural Building Colloquium. He is a very active participant in Eugene's chapter of the Eco Building Guild, and is currently in the process of permitting and constructing a strawbale building. Friday, May 10, Brown Bag, 12 pm, room 206 Lawrence Hall "Ecological Design: Inventing the Future"- Video Friday, May 17, 11:30-1 pm, room 206 Lawrence Hall, U of O A film about integrating nature, technology, and humanity. This film is a product of the Ecological Design Project sponosored by the Ocean Ark Institute and will feature the work of Buckminster Fuller, the Rocky Mountain Institute, Biosphere II, Paolo Soleri, Pliny Fisk, John Todd and many others. Produced in 1994. 5 Changing Course Continued from p. 1 triguing oversight. While ac- class and location. In some areas or In 1992, the knowledging the rising de- for certain groups of people, water water in the Bhumibhol S mand, the RID never mentions never runs low—or more specifically, and Sirikit reservoirs the fact that the Central Plain is never allowed to run low—even in (see photo p. 9), which provide and has been grossly overusing its water the face of scarcity. During the regulate the water supply in the Chao resources. With an annual run-off of drought of 1992, for example, the Phraya basin, reached the lowest level about 4,000 million cubic meters, the RID’s water use plan designated 500 since the two dams were built. Rice Chao Phraya River is required to serve million cubic meters to Bangkok. The farmers and fruit growers in the Chao a demand of 14,000 million cubic remaining 21 provinces in the Central Phraya basin were asked, as they have meters per year in 1989 (Fundamen region, which have numerous rice been for many years, to fields and orchards, had to make do refrain from cultivating with 90 million cubic meters each. their crop during the The second priority, normally, is dry season because the pushing back the salt water intrusion Royal Irrigation Depart- and pollution. Whatever remains is ment (RID) could not al- for the agricultural sector—formerly locate enough water for known as the quintessential backbone them. A grim prospect of Thailand. Mr. Anat commented of water rationing in on this issue: Bangkok was widely publicized. “The Bangkok Metropolis consumes a In 1994, a water disproportionately large amount of wa- crisis still loomed large. ter that must be taken from the Chao Phraya River and from groundwater at a The Bangkok Post, a combined rate approaching one cubic Bangkok-based major meter per person daily, which is believed English language news- to be in excess of the safe limit.” paper, published in its (Arbhabhirama 1987) editorial section: The difference between wa- ter consumption of people in Bangkok “If you wash your car fre- and those elsewhere is startling. quently, if you hose down your porch or water your While a rural Thai person consumes garden, if you hum a tune an average of 50 liters per day, a while you enjoy a nice, Bangkokian consumes an average of long shower, . . . then you 400 liters per day. Farming requires are the problem.” Map showing Thailand's major rivers and reservoirs. 2,500 to 16,000 liters per rai (= 0.16 (Drying 1994: 35) hectares), while a massage parlor in tal 1993). Over 90% of the demand Bangkok uses 200,000 liters of water To the Last Drop comes from the agricultural sector, per day. A large hotel may use up to Where has all the water gone? which constitutes a major part of the 1,300,000 liters per day. According to the RID, reduced rain- Central region. It is worth noting that The rate of groundwater fall beyond Bhumibhol and Sirikit a vast expansion of rice farming, in- pumping in the Bangkok area is also dams, increased consumption up- cluding na prang or second-crop dangerously high, overshooting the stream, and rising demand down- farming, in the Chao Phraya basin estimated safe yield by at least 0.5 stream all caused the shortage. The was an outcome of heavy promotion million per day. (Arbhabhirama 1987). decrease in the amount of rainfall has by the Thai government, which saw a Christensen and Boon-long reported been much argued and contested. competitive advantage in rice export. that in 1989, only 0.5% of water con- Some academics and members of non- One of the major purposes of sumed by industries located in the governmental organizations believed Bhumibhol and Sirikit dams was to Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) that the phenomenon is a simple fluc- supply water to rice farms in the Chao was piped in from the Metropolitain tuation in the weather pattern and Phraya basin. Waterworks Authority (MWA). 95% cannot be taken as an immediate cause Urban supremacy rules over was obtained by groundwater pump- of water scarcity. the management and distribution of ing and other sources such as rivers A closer look at the demand water. Clearly, water shortage in and canals (4.5%). Apart from the fact from the Central Plain reveals an in- Thailand is distorted according to that the MWA and provincial water-

6 works authorities fall far short of pro- old projects of the Electricity Gen- 1993 that he would viding water across the board, ground erating Authority of Thailand like to see the dam water is also much more appealing in 96 completed before (EGAT), slightly retouched and terms of cost. handed over to the RID after opposi- 1999. The dam is be- tion and criticism against hydro-elec- lieved to require a mass relocation of “. . . the private cost of ground water tric dams mounted. people. An estimate by RID shows pumping is very low — about 1 to 2 baht Kaeng Sua Ten Dam: Planned that the cost of land purchases and of per m3, compared with the average piped compensation to those who might be water rate of 6 baht per m3; well water is to be built within Mae Yom National Park in the northern province of Phrae, evicted is five times greater than the cleaner than water pumped from rivers construction cost. and canals and does not require costly the Kaeng Sua Ten dam project is part Haew Narok Dam: Accord- treatment; and ground water pumping is of the more ambitious Kok-Ing-Nan monitored very poorly by the public sec- interbasin water transfer scheme. It ing to the RID, an ideal site for the tor.” (Christensen 1993) consists of a series of dams to divert Haew Narok dam, which has been water from the three major rivers in the shelved for decades due to unac- Aquifer depletion leads to North to the Chao Phraya basin. The ceptable effect on the environment, land subsidence (5 to 10 centimeters Kaeng Sua Ten dam project is designed is in the midst of Khao Yai National per year in eastern Bangkok). Sinking to block the Yom River, creating a 1,175- Park. Khao Yai is the first forest land gives way to salt water intrusion, million-cubic-meter reservoir. It will reserve and one of the best-loved which in turn requires that more fresh- flood more than 4,800 hectares of teak national parks in Thailand. It is an water be released to push it back. forest, itself a watershed of the Yom important habitat of such endan- The demand on water from River. (see photo p.10). The Kaeng Sua gered species as wild elephants, red domestic and industrial use has been Ten project includes construction of gores and several kinds of hornbills. growing exponentially. Christensen the Mae Wong dam, an affiliated dam The dam would inundate about 1,600 and Boon-long point out that indus- which would cause flooding in Mae hectares of this forest. trial and urban consumption in the Wong National Park. The forest is a Said Mr Pramote Maiklad, BMR currently stands at about 3 bil- buffer of the biologically diverse Huay then RID’s Senior Expert on Opera- lion cubic meters. Assuming that the Kha Khaeng forest, a well-known tion and Maintenance: Thai economy will grow at an annual World Heritage site. average rate of 7 % per year with Pa Sak Dam: The Pa Sak dam “If we can build all these dams, we will have roughly 4,000 million cubic meters proportional water use, the research- is strongly supported by the highly ers predicted that the BMR’s demand of water in store. It will be reserved for revered King Bhumibhol of Thailand use during the dry period in the Cha for water could double in 10 years. who said during his birthday speech in Phraya basin.” (Achakulwisut 1992) Relying on a more conserva- tive estimate of a 3.4 percent increase in water demand per year, the MWA expects to reach the maximum amount of water that the RID can provide by the year 1997. With this imminent threat, the solution that the RID has in mind is simple: find more water for the Central region. Large- scale dams and interbasin water trans- fer, including the construction of a series of dams, huge pumps and wa- ter tunnels are, from the RID’s per- spective, inevitable for Thailand’s fu- ture.

RID’s Answer: More Dams Among dozens of dormant dam projects, the RID is pushing three dam proposals to the front. They are the Kaeng Sua Ten, Pa Sak and Haew Sirikit Dam, one of the two major prodivers and controllers of water supply in Narok dam projects. All of these are the Central Plain of Thailand. Photo by M.L. Thosawan Dhevakul. Continued on p. 10 7 Changing Course Continued from p. 9 to the river, it is most aggres- Song-Bhumibhol reservoir diver- Interbasin Water sive in attempting to exploit sion. Of all the diversion plans in Transfer: S the river. The largest projects Salween and Moei river basins, this Salween Basin are the Upper and Lower project is considered most promis- In July 1995, Mr. Yingphan Salween dams, proposed to be built ing as a long-term solution to the Manasikarn, Thailand’s newly-ap- on mainstream Salween. They have water shortage in Chao Phraya ba- pointed Minister of Science, Tech- a combined installed hydropower ca- sin. It is planned to divert an average nology and Environment announced pacity of 5,332 MW. If materialized, of 2,000 million cubic meters of wa- on his inauguration day that national it would become the largest dam in ter annually at a cost of 1.34 baht per and international water development Southeast Asia. cubic meter. and diversion projects would be Seven projects to divert the The project would consist of: given a high priority in his ministry. water from Salween basin to -A 1-kilometer long canal from Nam He paid special attention to the po- Bhumibhol reservoir were conceived Moei toe Mae Song weir. tential to tap water from the Salween by the EGAT in 1979. They have been -The construction of the Mae Song basin in the North. weir and a pumping station to pump the water up to the reservoir. The water would be pushed to Mae Song Dam #1. -The construction of Mae Song dam #1. Mae Song pumping station #1 would pump the water up to the reservoir of # 1 and push it to the location of Mae Song dam #2. -The construction of Mae Song dam #2. Mae Song pumping station #2 would pump the water from reser- voir #1 to reservoir #2 and push it to the entrance of a water tunnel. -A 48.83-kilometer tunnel from Mae Song reservoir #2 to Bhumibhol res- ervoir. The tunnel would go through mountains and is designed to trans- port the water by gravity at the high- est rate of 100 cubic meter per sec- The vast and last piece of teak forest to be flooded by the proposed ond. Kaeng Sua Ten Dam. Photo by M.L. Thosawan Dhevakul The other diversion route, from the Moei River to the Huay The Salween River origi- shelved for decades because of envi- Khanaeng-Khithue dam and nates in the Tibetan Plateau. It forms ronmental concerns. After years of Bhumibhol Reservoir, is recom- part of a Thai-Burmese border and repeated water shortage in the Cen- mended by another study team as flows down to the Andaman Sea in tral region of Thailand, these the most feasible in terms of cost/ Moulmein, Burma. Due to an ardu- interbasin water transfer projects benefit analysis. DEDP is very inter- ous access and internecine wars were resurrected and adopted by the ested in this route because it will among several ethnic minorities in Department of Energy Development incur lower cost. Burma, Salween remains one of the and Promotion (DEDP) in 1992. Walakamon reported in The least explored and most pristine river The DEDP has commis- Nation: basins in Southeast Asia. sioned a few groups of companies China, Burma and Thailand and independent research agencies “For this project, a 1.4-km stretch of the share 42%, 53% and 5 % of the Salween to study and assess a variety of po- Moei river would be widened. Water River’s catchment area respectively. tential dam sites and water transfer would then be pumped through a 540- meter tunnel into Huay Khanaeng reser- Nantiya Tangwisutijit, a reporter routes from the Moei River, a major forThe Nation, a Bangkok-based voir. Water from the reservoir would be tributary of the Salween River. One pumped through a 15.8-km tunnel into newspaper, observed that although of the two routes recommended for Mae Tuen River which flows into the Thailand holds the least natural rights further study is the Nam Moei-Mae Bhumibhol Reservoir.”

8 The project is planned to divert have a direct effect on urban Sethaputra,Sacha.,Theodore an average of 1091 mcm of water annu- dwellers. Panayotou., and Vute ally. Huay Khanaeng-Khithue dam, Conservation campaigns 96 Wangwacharakul. should also be done full-cycle. It “Water Resources: planned in Tak province’s district of Shortage Amidst Abundance”. Mae Ramat where the Moei River meets would be better if the Thai govern- TDRI Quarterly Review, 5.3 Huay Khanaeng River, would be 41 ment were to support production and (1990): 12-19. meters high, with a storage capacity of marketing of water-saving appliances “Fundamental Information Concerning such as washers, toilets, faucets, etc. so the Water Crisis in Thailand”. 1.33 mcm. It would inundate part of Unpublished article. Bangkok: Mae Ramat National Forest Reserve, a that they were more readily available Project for Ecological Recovery, “1A” watershed area. The tunnel would and competitive in the market. 1993. run through mountains. Thailand has A number of economists pro- Christensen, Scott and Boon-long, Areeya. posed that a pricing structure that re- “Institutional Problems in Wa not yet been able to provide a safe enough ter Allocation: Challenges for technology in rock-blasting and con- flects the real cost of water supply be New Legislation” TDRI Quaterly struction. introduced to correct the distorted ag- Review. Sept. 1993:3. ricultural economy. However, remov- Eamwiwatkit, Walakamon. “A Dam- According to DEDP officials, the building Frenzy.” The Nation, Huay Khanaeng dam would affect only ing water subsidy from such poor and 27 Jul. 1995. C8. four “Thai” families. Visiting the pro- underprivileged groups as farmers Tangwisutijit, Nantiya. “The River of posed dam site, however, Walakamon does not appeal to environmentalists Many Names”. World River Re or development activists. Mr. Kevin view, 2nd Quarter, 1994: 10-11. argued that as many as 51 families from Eamwiwatkit, Walakamon. “Wet Water Karen communities may potentially be Kinvig, a researcher working with the Fighting.” The Nation, 17 June affected by the project. These people Thailand Development Research In- 1994: C8. were not counted because the authority stitute, was quoted as suggesting that Tantiwithayapitak, Vanchai. “War over other incentives like loans and invest- Water”, Feature Magazine, 1 claimed that the villagers are refugees April, 1993. 116-135 who are not recognized by Thai or Bur- ment credits should replace the water mese law. Mr.Chatchawan Sawasdirerk, subsidy. EGAT’s deputy chief of the project was It is, in fact, widely believed that Thailand needs a more efficient The Oregon Country Fair quoted as saying that: The Solar Information Center system of water supply and manage- “These Karens illegally occupy the land. will be returning to Energy ment more than its needs more dams. Park this summer at the Or- There may be no need for use to pay them Interbasin transfer is likely to displace compensation. But we will find the best egon Country Fair. So look solution for them.” (Eamwiwatkit 1994) problems, solving them in one area for our newly landscaped while creating new ones in another Eco-Doll House and other in- The cost of the project, projected for area. A demand-side and more holis- triguing projects by the Solar 1994, is 8 billion baht, or $US 32 million. tic approach that takes into account Center Staff. the rights and responsibilities of people Alternatives with respect to their watersheds needs There are about 100,000 leak- to be adopted to cure the problem at its Summer Newsletter The summer issue of ages in water supply pipes in Bangkok. cause. It will be useless to go on build- Solar Incidents will include The MWA loses approximately 30% of ing more dams only to find out at the the following articles: its water or 960 million liters per day. At end of the day that there is no water Efficient Cook Stoves For an average consumption of 200 liters per left to fill them Thailand by Atiya person; that lost water should have been Achakulwisut References: Masonry Heaters by Jason used by 5,000,000 persons. Instead of McLennan investing in more large-scale dams, the Pramoj, Seni. Father King Ram Khamhaengís Bank ING by Valerie Wedel Thai government might be in a better Stone Inscriptions: First Constitution of And more! position if it looked into the unneces- Thailand. Ed. Pinit Ratanakul and U. sary loss or water and tried to retrieve it. Kyaw Than. Bangkok:Mahidol Uni versity, 1990. Solar and Sustainable Continuous campaigns for wa- Abhabhirama, Anat. et. al. ed. Thailand Natu Showcase ter conservation must be initiated and ral Resource Profile: Is Resource Base for Spring showcase submissions seriously conducted both by the public Thailandís Development Sustainable? are due June 9th. Be sure and and private sector. Luxurious consump- Bangkok: Thailand Development visit the hearth during exam Research Institute, 1987. week, June 9-16. The walls tion of water, especially in Bangkok, Achakulwisut, Atiya. “Why the Farmers Bear will once again be covered should not be allowed to continue. This the Brunt” Bangkok Post 2 Nov. 1992. with studio design projects may include allowing the shortage to “Drying out” The Economist 12 Feb 1994: 35. that explore sustainability.

9 CALENDAR S M TU W TH F S April 1-19 "Sustainable Community Solutions Exhibit" 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 room 266 Lawrence Hall, open M-F 8 am - 5 pm APRIL Sustainable Community Solutions Exhibit Thursday, April 25 "The Global Living Project" 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 by Jim Merkel 7:30 pm in 177 Lawrence Hall Sun Day Earth Day Energy Fair Friday, April 26 "The Renewable Energy Fair" 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 10 am - 5 pm in the EMU Courtyard MAY Thursday, May 9 "The Way We Build Our Houses- A Case Study of Sustainable Architecture." 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 by Robert Bolman Brown 7:30 pm in 177 Lawrence Hall Bag Friday, May 10 Brown Bag w/ Robert Bolman 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 12 - 1pm in 206 Lawrence Hall Video Friday, May 17 "Ecological Design: Inventing the Future"-Video 11:30 - 1 pm in 206 Lawrence Hall SOLAR INFORMATION CENTER (541) 346-3696 e-mail: [email protected] website: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~sic/ 219 PACIFIC HALL, U OF O

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