REPORT ON THE RAMSAR ADVISORY MISSION (# 431) TO THE INDUS DOLPHIN RIVER RAMSAR SITE AND ASSOCIATED FLOODPLAINS

29 October – 5 November, 2012

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 1

CONTENTS

1. Background 6

a. The Indus River 6 b. Management of the Indus River and its resources 7 c. Flood disaster management in Pakistan 7 d. Rainfall patterns in Pakistan 7 e. Floods along the Indus River 8 f. 2010 Floods 8 g. Background to the Ramsar Advisory Mission 8

2. Floodplains in risk management 10

a. Floodplains and their value 10 b. Management of floodplains 11

3. Lessons learnt from floodplain management along the Yangtze River, P.R. China 12

a. The Yangtze River 12 b. Floods in the Yangtze River 12 c. Floods in the 1990’s 13 d. Lessons learnt from the 1998 Yangtze floods 13 e. Integrated River Basin Management in the Yangtze River 16 f. Local legislation on wetland conservation 17 g. Developing alternative solutions for local development 17 h. Summary 18

4. Results of meetings 21

a. Flood disaster management in Pakistan 21 b. Future management of floods 21 c. Conservation management of Ramsar Sites along the Indus River floodplains 22 d. Conservation management of flooded forests along the Indus River floodplains 23

5. Discussion 24

a. RAM Objective 1: To devise a workable and cost effective strategy for wise-use of the 24 floods b. RAM Objective 2: To make recommendations for alteration in the prevailing flood 27 control strategy so as to obtain maximum benefit from the flood water c. RAM Objective 3: Identification of high priority wetlands/Ramsar Sites for restoration 28 by using the floods as a tool for restoration.

6. Recommendations 29

7. Acknowledgement 31

8. Bibliography 32

2 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Itinerary of the RAM 35 Appendix 2: Meeting with Federal Flood Commission (FFC), National Disaster 36 Management Authority (NDMA), and Pakistan Meteorological Department Appendix 3: Meeting with WAPDA 40 Appendix 4: Meeting with Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority 41 (PDMA) Appendix 5: Meeting with Punjab Provincial Wildlife, Forest and Fisheries 42 Departments Appendix 6: Meeting with Punjab Provincial Irrigation Department 44 Appendix 7: Meeting with stakeholders at Lal Suhanra National Park 45 Appendix 8: Meeting with stakeholders at Guddu Barrage 47 Appendix 9: Meeting with stakeholders at Dolphin Information Centre, Sukkur 50 Barrage Appendix 10: De-briefing session with stakeholders 52 Appendix 11: Contact details of attendees 54

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 3 SUMMARY

fter Pakistan suffered one of Guddu and Sukkur Barrages. - The coordinating body should be its most disastrous floods in The visit highlighted the fact that tasked with drafting and regularly A2010, the Ministry of Climate the Indus River is truly the lifeblood updating an ‘Integrated Indus Change requested the Secretariat of for Pakistan, flowing through River Basin Plan’ to coordinate up- the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands the country to provide water and stream land-uses with the needs of to organize an expert team under nutrients for agriculture, as well down-stream users, which can also the Convention’s Ramsar Advisory as food, energy and livelihood for maintain the social, economic and Mission (RAM) mechanism, to people across the country, from environmental benefits, including visit the wetlands along the Indus the high mountains to the Arabian flood mitigation, that the river River floodplains and to a), devise Sea. However, there is a lack of provides through maintaining a workable and cost effective an integrated basin approach to environmental flows; strategy for wise-use of the floods the management of the river to b), to make recommendations maintain the many services and - The government should move for alteration in the prevailing benefits that the river provides away from the paradigm of solely flood control strategy so as to for people and the environment. using a hard-engineering (or obtain maximum benefit from the Instead, management is conducted structural) approach to controlling flood water and c), identify high by various agencies, both national flood and instead, should take an priority wetlands/Ramsar Sites for and provincial, with insufficient integrated approach and consider restoration by using the floods as a coordination between them, such as including soft-engineering (non- tool for restoration. managing the river to minimize the structural) approaches. This would The Mission was composed of a impact from the annual floods. include managing floodplains and team of four international and The overall recommendations from using, or restoring the lakes and national wetland experts and was the RAM are as follows: ponds for flood water storage, and conducted from 29th October to 5th - A broad-based coordinating the replanting of riverine forests November 2012. Some 10 meetings authority should be established for to slow the speed of the flood were held with various government the sustainable management of the waters. There is a need to take the agencies and visits were made to Indus River Basin in Pakistan and traditional approach of looking at a number of sites along the Indus its resources, e.g. water, fisheries, the annual floods as blessings and River floodplains, particularly Lal biodiversity, as well as for pollution to maximise the benefits we can Suhanra National Park, as well as control and flood management; obtain from them.

4 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) - Over the past decades, the - Trials should be conducted on alternative livelihood methods which are construction of upstream dams and adapted to the annual floods for the local communities living in the Indus other water control structures have floodplain; restoration and management of ponds and lakes for flood reduced the amount of freshwater water storage; develop opportunities for biodiversity conservation (e.g. and silt reaching the Arabian Sea. restoration of riverine forests and provisions of habitat for waterbirds) as This has had a range of impacts well as for education and public awareness; on the livelihood of the people and the environment in the Indus - Along with managing the flood plains there is an urgent need to manage River delta. In managing the Indus the hill torrents that contribute to enhancing the vulnerability in the flood River, such as for irrigation and for plains; floods, we also need to ensure the environmental flows in the river so - To follow-up from the RAM, it is recommended that a group of key that downstream users can continue officials and stakeholders responsible for flood management in Pakistan as to benefit from the services that the well as being involved in the pilot projects, undertake a study tour to China river provides. to see at first-hand the steps that China has taken to use an integrated approach to flood management and restoring environment flows in the - A number of sites along the Indus Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. River were identified as being suitable for further investigation for conducting pilot projects on the restoration and management of floodplains for flood management as well as for the improving the livelihood of the local communities. These sites include the ponds by Taunsa Barrage Ramsar Site, as well as sites in the Indus Dolphin Ramsar Site and at Lal Suhanra National Park;

- The management plans that are being developed for the Ramsar Sites along the Indus River floodplain, e.g. Taunsa Barrage, should also discuss and provide recommendations on the management of the site for flood management;

- Activities under the pilot project would include the removal of illegal structures and encroachments into the sites which otherwise would obstruct the flow of water and impact on the capacity of the site to hold flood water;

- To control encroachment of the flood plains by illegal settlements and illegal structures in general, the staff of the Irrigation Department should be empowered and strengthened by facilitating them to enforce the Canal and Drainage Act (1873);

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 5 REPORT OF RAMSAR ADVISORY MISSION TO THE INDUS RIVER, PAKISTAN

29 OCTOBER TO 5 NOVEMBER 2012

1. Background the summer monsoon rains. The ponds and irrigation canals have rains fall from July to September in been constructed by people from 1.1 The Indus River the upper reaches of the basin in the earliest civilizations to the The Indus River lies within one Pakistan and causes peak flows in modern day (FAO undated). Today, of the major river basins of the the river to occur at that time. some 70% of the water from the world, with a total drainage area of over 1,165,000 km2, a length of The Indus River is some 3,180 km and covering four the ‘lifeblood’ for countries, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan’s population India and Pakistan. It begins of nearly 180 million in the Tibetan plateau close to people, as well Lake Mansarovar, before flowing as being critical northwest to the Ladakh region, for maintaining a Gilgit and Baltistan, and then healthy environment. turning southwards along the entire Communities from the length of Pakistan to enter the remote mountain areas Arabian Sea (Fig. 1). In Pakistan, to the fertile plains the Indus River Basin covers about and the urbanized 75% of the land area and supports delta areas, are all some 95% of the population (Akhtar dependent on the river 2011). in one way or another, e.g. for providing The river has an annual flow of food, water for about 272 billion cubic yards (207 irrigation, hydropower, billion cubic metres). Some of this industry, transport and water comes from the melting household use. Indus River is used for irrigation. of the snows and glaciers in the There are three major storage high mountains of the Himalayas, In order to harness the waters of the reservoirs, 19 barrages and 43 Karakoram and the Hindu Kush Indus River for all of these uses, an major canals with a total length of but the main contribution is from intricate network of dams, barrages, 57,000 km which together, form

6 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) one of the most intricate irrigation Flood disaster management in Some 65% of the rain usually falls systems in the world and provides Pakistan is under the responsibility during the summer monsoon water for 80% (162,000 km2) of the of a number of different agencies. season from June – August (kharif country’s agricultural lands (Inam et The Federal Flood Commission season), with another 25% falling al. 2007). (FFC) prepares integrated national in winter (rabi season) and the flood protection plans for the remaining 10% at other times of 1.2 Management of the Indus country and reviews the design the year. Historically, the country River and its resources and specification of flood works. has been prone to extreme weather The monitoring and forecasting of events and disasters and from the In many countries with important floods is under the Federal Flood 1980’s-1990’s period, the summer rivers that supply much of the Forecasting Division of the Pakistan monsoon which used to peak in water for irrigation, industry and Meteorological Office (PMO), who August, began to shift and to peak urban uses as well as for sustaining provides early warning data to the in July instead. The frequency of the environment, they have National Disaster Management rainfall has been decreasing and developed river basin authorities Authority (NDMA) who in turn, will when rain does fall, it does so at to be responsible for coordinating inform the provincial (PDMA) and a very high intensity and over a the management of the river and district authorities to take action short time. The summer monsoon its resources. One example is the if necessary. The NDMA works zone where the rain falls is also Murray-Darling Basin Authority with communities to reduce their shifting, from the north-east to the in Australia that is responsible risks and vulnerabilities from all north-west by approximately 80- for planning the integrated disasters, including floods, and to 100km over the past 30 years. As management of the water resources respond to and carry out recover a result, there is now a higher risk of the Murray–Darling Basin (http:// work after any disaster events. of flash floods in the western hills www.mdba.gov.au/about). and river (i.e. Indus) as compared These agencies coordinate their to that in the eastern river (i.e. Within Pakistan however, there is work closely at the onset and during Chenab and Jhelum) where the no one single government agency the summer monsoon season to rains used to fall. These western with responsibility for coordinating reduce the impact from any possible areas, e.g. Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa the management of the Indus River. flood event. During that time, each (KPK), SE Punjab and central Sindh, Instead, there are a number of province will have a flood warning therefore require more support for agencies each with their own role centre with staff from PMO, FFC water management and for flood such as: and PDMA to monitor rainfall and mitigation. the risk of floods, and to coordinate - Indus River System Authority: any necessary response to sudden The problem with the erratic - Provincial Irrigation Department: changes in the situation. rainfall and increased flooding is - Federal Flood Commission; that over the coming two to three - National, and Provincial Disaster 1.4 Rainfall patterns in decades, it is predicted that the Management Authority; Pakistan increasing temperatures due to - Environmental Protection Agency; climate change will lead to faster - Provincial Fisheries Department; - Water and Power Development Authority.

Of these, the Indus River System Authority is the only one with any kind of coordinating responsibility between the provinces but then, that responsibility is just for allocating the available water from the Indus River between Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan under the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord.

1.3 Flood disaster management in Pakistan

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 7 melting of the Himalayan glaciers water and nutrient rich sediment Apart from the heavy rainfall, a which in turn, will further increase for the farmland. People were said number of reasons were identified flood risk and affect water resources to have adapted their way of life for the severity of the 2010 floods. (IPCC 2007). so that they were prepared for the One of these was the breaches in annual floods and so it was possible the barrages and embankments At the same time however, there to minimize the damage (Weil along the Indus River due to poor has also been an increase in the 2006). Over time however and in governance and mismanagement incidence of drought in Pakistan particular from the 18th century (JFIT 2010). Blame was also due to the reduced annual onwards, new hard-engineering placed on the presence of illegal frequency in rainfall and the change (‘structural’) approaches were structures (e.g. bunds) and human in the distribution of the rain that brought in to ‘control’ the encroachment into the floodplain does fall. This has led to decreased floods, such as by constructing alongside (medium sized) river water availability and water quality embankments to restrict the flood channels as they constricted the in many arid and semi-arid regions. water flow and which would free up flow of the flood waters. Although All of these changes have been the land behind the embankment there is a Canal and Drainage Act attributed to the impact from global for the development of farming, (1873) that allows the government climate change. industry and urban uses. to clear illegal structures if they obstruct the flow of water, Both floods and drought have a 1.6 2010 Floods enforcement of the Act is weak. heavy impact on the health of the The people living illegally in the local communities particularly due Due to the impacts of La Niña floodplains were reported to be to diarrhoea from poor quality weather patterns in the summer of difficult to remove because of water. In future, it can be expected 2010, unusually heavy rains some the support they received from that the incidences of illness and five times higher than normal fell in politicians who depend upon these mortality will rise from the erratic the upper parts of the Indus River people for their votes. Staff of the and extreme weather events. A catchment in two waves. The first Irrigation Department suggested decrease in water availability will was from the evening of 28th July that a possible solution to this also mean that hydropower as a through the whole day of 29th July. would be for them to regain their source of energy will become less The second wave was from 6th to powers to control illegal structures, reliable and it has been estimated 9th August. The rain that fell has disturbances and breakage of that agricultural crop production in been ranked the second highest in the bunds, as well to have closer South Asia could decrease by up to the past 50 years and caused hill cooperation between the Forestry, 30% (JFIT 2010). torrents in the mountain areas as Irrigation and other Department well as river floods in the plains to control illegal activities as they 1.5 Floods along the Indus (JFIT 2010). The peak flood that used to have before. It was also River was recorded at Taunsa Barrage reported to the RAM team that (1,085,000 cusec on 2 Aug 2010) there were also problems with During the summer monsoon corresponded to a 1 in 500 years officially built structures such as season each year, river floods flood event (JFIT 2010). bridges, e.g. that over the Indus of varying severity are common River connecting Larkana and along the Indus River. There are The damage the floods caused Khairpur restricts the flow of the two main hydro-climatic factors between 29th July and 26th August flood water. which affect the intensity of these was one of the worst in Pakistan’s floods. The first is snow melt from history. Four provinces were 1.7 Background to the the mountains in northern Pakistan affected, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ramsar Advisory Mission during winter which starts in March- (NWFP), Punjab, Balochistan and April and reaches its maximum Sindh. It was estimated that about 1.7.1 The Ramsar Convention on in July. The second, and more 5,000 people were killed or injured Wetlands in Pakistan: important factor, is the occurrence and some 20 million people were of south-west monsoon rain during directly affected by water-borne Pakistan was one of the earliest the summer season (Akhtar 2011). diseases, lack of food, drinking countries (12th) to accede to the water and shelter. Around 100,000 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Historically, the annual floods along km2 of land, including croplands with the Convention coming into the Indus River have been looked was inundated and the economic force in the country in November upon by the communities living cost was calculated to have been 1976. Since that time, the country along the floodplains by the river as around USD 10 billion. has placed 19 wetlands sites a blessing in bringing much needed onto the List of Wetlands of

8 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) International Importance with the use of floodplain wetlands collected during the RAM, from four of these being located in the for mitigating the impacts from available references, and from the floodplains of the Indus Rive. These severe floods. The team members experience of the RAM team. are Chashma Barrage, Taunsa were Inam Ullah Khan (IUCN- Barrage, Indus Dolphin Reserve, and Pakistan), Chen Zhang (Chinese the Indus Delta Ramsar Sites. The Academy of Science, China), Ramsar Administrative Authority in Xinqiao Zhang (WWF China Pakistan is the Ministry of Climate Programme Office), and Lew Young Change. (Secretariat, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands). During the Mission, 1.7.2 Ramsar Advisory Mission the team was accompanied by (RAM): representatives from different government agencies, such as the In March 2011, Mr. Syed Mahmood Ministry of Climate Change, as well Nasir (Inspector General Forest, as by representatives from WWF Government of Pakistan) met with Pakistan. The itinerary and logistics Mr. Anada Tiéga (Secretary-General, for the mission was organized Ramsar Convention Secretariat) and by both WWF Pakistan and the began discussions on undertaking a Ministry of Climate Change. Ramsar Advisory Mission (RAM) to Pakistan to suggest an economically 1.7.5 Itinerary: viable, socially acceptable and ecologically sound strategy to The Mission was conducted over an manage the floodplains of the eight day period, from 29 October Indus River to minimize the risk of to 5 November 2012. The full such devastating flood in future. itinerary is provided in Appendix 1. The strategy would be based on During the course of the mission, successful strategies for reducing the team held 10 meetings with a the threat of floods that have been range of key stakeholders, including used for the Yangtze River Basin, representatives from the Federal and other river basins around the Flood Commission (FFC), Ministry world. of Climate Change (MoCC), both National and Provincial Disaster 1.7.3 Objectives of the RAM: Management Authorities, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), The Objectives of the RAM were: provincial Irrigation, Fisheries, Forest and Wildlife Departments, 1. To devise a workable and Water and Power Development cost effective strategy for wise-use Authority (WAPDA), IUCN and WWF of the floods; Pakistan (Appendix 2 – 10). 2. To make recommendations for alteration in the prevailing flood 1.7.6 Comments: control strategy so as to obtain The objectives of the RAM were maximum benefit from the flood very broad and to cover the three water; topics adequately would require 3. Identification of high more time and resources than priority wetlands/Ramsar Sites for was available. Furthermore, restoration by using the floods as a there have been many reviews tool for restoration. of the causes of the 2010 floods and recommendations made for 1.7.4 RAM Team: alleviating similar floods in future. One such example is the very A RAM Team was established, thorough report by the Judicial composed of specialists in different Flood Inquiry Tribunal in Punjab aspects of wetland wise use and (2010). As a result, the discussions in conservation, the management this report will be based principally and restoration of wetlands, and on the information that was

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 9 FLOODPLAINS IN FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT

2.1 Floodplains and their value in reducing the losses from floods. lost, e.g. to development, or whose A study in the United States has functions are impaired, e.g. due to A ‘floodplain’ is a flat or nearly flat shown that the cost of restoring pollution or over-use (Leschine et area of land adjacent to a river the flood control function of 2,000 al. 1997). or stream which floods when the hectares of wetlands that are water level rises during times of drained each year in the State of 2.2 Management of floodplains high discharge, such as after heavy Minnesota would cost $1.5 million, rains. Floodplains provide a range as compared to the potentially Many ancient civilizations have of valuable ecosystem services, millions of dollars that would developed alongside floodplains especially in flood risk reduction by otherwise be lost to flooding (EPA with their nutrient rich soils. The helping to store the excess flood 2006). earliest people that lived along water and to slowly release it back the Indus River were no exception. into the river system and into the A study of the economic value of They developed the traditional groundwater aquifers. This has the floodplains in Washington State sailaba cultivation system effect of reducing the peak height (USA) was also conducted and (Lamadrid 2010) to make use of and speed of the flood discharge, showed that the value for flood the water and fertile silt that the so reducing the damage that may and storm water control alone annual floods would bring. There be caused downstream. Floodplains could be as high as USD126,000 were also katcha areas some 5 also act as spawning and rearing per hectare. However, this figure to 25 kilometers alongside the ground for many river fish species does not include the value of the Indus River which would flood during the times of flood and as many other services and benefits each year and which were free of the high water recedes. The flood that floodplains provide for people, encroachment and habitation (JFIT waters also bring nutrient rich such as in providing food and water 2010). sediment which covers the flooded purifications. If those services were ground so making it particularly included, then the overall value of Historically, the communities fertile for agriculture after the the floodplain would have been living in the plains close to the waters recede. higher. The study also explained Indus River adapted their lifestyle that the value of the services that to avoid the damages from the The conservation and restoration a wetland provides would increase annual floods by not constructing of wetlands play an important role as the neighboring wetlands are permanent settlements in the

10 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) floodplain areas, and by having an Hard-engineering approaches to functional flood management effective communication network flood management have not always solutions which can benefit a with those people living in the succeeded in reducing the risk of multitude of stakeholders (ADPC mountains who would provide flooding and in addition, they have 2005; WMO 2009). early warning of impending floods also compromised the important (Weil 2006). However, the arrival ecosystem services that the natural Examples of where countries of the British in the 18th century floodplains provide. As a result, have begun taking this brought the concept of using a countries have begun looking at integrated approach to flood hard- (structural) engineering alternative solutions to reducing risk management includes the approach for control floods, such the damage from floods such as by restoration and management of as through the construction of taking an integrated approach to floodplains, e.g. in China (Section dams and embankments, rather flood risk management, including 3), Switzerland (SAEFL/FOWG than to live with and adapt to the restoration and conservation of 2003) and the European Union the flooding conditions. The floodplains in a way that would also (Blackwell and Maltby 2006; use of embankments would optimise the range of other benefits European Commission 2012). also free up the land behind for associated with these important agricultural, industrial and urban wetland systems, and adapting to In Pakistan, no plans have yet been development as well as settlement the annual floods rather than to developed to integrate ecological and population growth. However, control them. These ecosystem non-structural flood protection this would also mean that if the services provided by floodplains means, e.g. forests, swamps and embankments were to be breached are often poorly considered in floodplains, into a larger flood during unusually heavy floods, then decision-making resulting in missed management plan (JFIT 2010). the damage would be more severe opportunities to deliver on multi- to life and property.

Today, many countries have recognized that despite spending large amounts of money on such hard-engineering approaches to flood control, structures such as embankments may still fail to prevent the tremendous damage caused by floods waters and in fact, may make the situation worse. Apart from the impact on the population behind the breached embankment, restricting the flood waters to within embankments also caused the peak height velocity and height of the flood waters to increase in the narrower space and be propelled downstream at a greater force where it will inevitably cause more damage.

Experiences in the past decades have repeatedly shown just how ineffective embankments can be despite being constructed at high cost. For example in China, some US$ 20 billion was spent on flood control in 1996 but it still was not able to stop the devastating floods along the Yangtze River in 1996, 1998 and 1999 that caused damage estimated at US$ 25 billion (Section 3).

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 11 LESSONS LEARNT FROM FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ALONG THE YANGTZE RIVERS, P.R. CHINA

3.1 The Yangtze River of China’s territory, feeding 1/3 cover 680,000 km2 with a present of the nation’s population with population of over 230 million. The Yangtze River with the total grain production, and has a GDP As the population in this region length of over 6,300 km is the accounting for 1/3 of the nation’s increased over the centuries, longest river in China, originating totals. The Yangtze River Economic various efforts were made to from the Galadandong Mountains Belt has nowadays become the control the annual floods. One of on the Tibetan Plateau and flowing most vigorous and promising the first of these was the Great into the East China Sea. Its head economic belt in China. The Yangtze Jinjiang Levee, completed in 1548. water is distributed over a vast River Basin also provides 36.5% of area of high plateau wetland and China freshwater resources, 52.5% Since 1950, 38 floods of different lakes. The upper reach of the river of China’s total mileage of inland level have occurred in Dongting is characterized by forests and navigation waterways, making it Lake (one of the two biggest lakes charismatic threatened species China’s “Golden Waterway” linking in the Central Yangtze River Basin such as the Giant Panda Ailuropoda the eastern, central and western with area of 2700 km2 in high water melanoleuca. The Yangtze basin was parts of the country. season), averagely once every identified by WWF as one of their 1.5 years. However, large flood 35 priority protection eco-regions, 3.2 Floods in the Yangtze River disasters are not only increasing and is dotted with large lakes, and in frequency but also in severity. extensive wetlands with a rich The Yangtze River is prone to They would occur once every 5 biodiversity, e.g. the Yangtze River regular floods and the ones in years from 1950’s to 1970’s, once Dolphin Lipotes vexillifer, wintering 1870, 1931, 1954 and 1998, have every 3 to 4 years in the 1980’s, waterbirds etc. The Yangtze River been particularly devastating. and much more frequently since Estuary is also one of the biggest The most frequently-flooded area 1990’s, with flood waters exceeding and most economically developed in the whole Yangtze River Basin the flood control water level of the areas in the world. is the Central and partial Lower Yangtze River four times in the Yangtze region which includes area during the 5 year period from The Yangtze River Basin covers Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Anhui 1995 to 1999. There was great 1.8 million km2 and 19 provinces Provinces. This is a low-lying region loss each time due to the lack of a (municipalities, or autonomous that is dotted by lakes, marshes, comprehensive anti-flood policy regions), accounting for about 1/5 and meandering streams and in the Lake area. For example, the

12 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) economic loss caused by the floods be drained and reclaimed to create Consequently, vast areas behind the in 1996 and 1998 were up to RMB new agricultural land. Dongting Yangtze River dikes were inundated 30.3 billion (approx. USD 4.9 billion) Lake, formerly China’s largest, lost for almost three months due to and RMB 19.7 billion (approx. USD over 60% of its surface area and back flow of the Yangtze flood.

3.2 billion) respectively. Although more than one thousand lakes The 1998-floodwater levels the secondary-phase of flood disappeared altogether. Over the recorded in the Yangtze exceeded control reinforcement in Dongting years, dikes were successively raised the 1954 levels, the highest Lake commenced in 1996, the flood to protect the new agricultural land recorded in the 20th century. In loss was still more serious. from flooding, cutting off thousands Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces, of floodplain lakes from the annual the flood affected some 79.6 million Furthermore, the pressures floods. These engineering works people, of whom 10.2 million were from ever increasing economic (costing USD 20 billion in 1996 evacuated to safety, and 1,384 developments and human alone) reduced the flood retention people lost their lives. After a long population in the region, particularly capacity of the river, and caused time, some 21.1 million people in the past few decades, are leading the river channels to rise above were still homeless and staying in to rampant deforestation, over- the surrounding agricultural lands. temporary shelters. The total direct exploitation of nature resources in When those dikes were breached in economic losses estimated for the upper reaches of the Yangtze the floods of 1996, 1998 and 1999, these three provinces were about River, and drastically shrinking the losses of life and property were USD$6.6, USD$4.0 and US$4.6 of lakes and wetlands in central catastrophic. billion respectively, not including and lower reaches, seriously the enormous cost of flood threatening the ecological integrity In 1998, widespread unprecedented evacuation, flood fighting and relief. of the basin. Both flood risk and rainstorms occurred during June escalating degradation of nature and July in the Central Yangtze 3.4 Lessons learnt from the ecosystem have become pressing Basin, causing severe flooding. In 1998 Yangtze flood national issue with far reaching Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces, environmental and socio-economic rivers and lakes were rapidly 3.4.1 Policy and Management: consequences. filled. Torrential floods in the hilly Learning from international regions, coupled with mudslides, experience 3.3 Floods in the 1990’s caused devastating damages to villages along the rivers and killed At the end of the 1980s, China Rapid population growth and many people. Flooding of lake stopped reclamation of natural improper government policy and poldered areas was further wetlands. However until 1998, the during the 1940s to mid-1990s aggravated by the upstream floods caused many problems, such caused vast areas of the Central floodwater that arrived during as loss of wetland function due to Yangtze floodplains and lakes to August and early September. fragmentation and degradation in

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 13 the flood plain and river systems; considered natural river functioning. solution for the future. increased frequency and severity An adequate approach of the high 3.4.2 Changing national policies of flood disasters; and upstream water problems in the first place from engineering to ecological erosion caused accelerated requires a better understanding of approaches downstream siltation. Many of the functioning of the river’s four these problems were caused by driving forces. Solutions for the In view of the flooding, the there being a lack of awareness high water problems consist of a substantial loss of lives and about the values and functions combination of technical, physical, international experiences, the of wetlands; improper policies in environmental and governmental/ Chinese Government formulated a dealing with floods and the natural institutional measures. ‘32-Character Policy’ in 1998 with environment; and institutional US$1.2 billion input, to counter conflicts in the management of In order to decrease the risk of the floods through interventions the flood plain and rivers. As a flooding, measures should apply that were aimed at reducing flood result, people began thinking about to the whole river basin and not risk by working with nature rather questions: only to the weak spots. Not only than fighting it. These interventions is the role of the local council or included: - What are the reasons for the 1998 province important in ensuring floods having a heavier impact than the effectiveness of flood control - Placing a ban on logging and that of 1954? measures but also, coordinated agriculture on steep slopes, and - Is it cost effective every year to inter-regional or basin level reforesting the hill slopes ; use engineering input to protect measures are necessary. After - Demolishing dikes to open up the limited farmland in the flooded the floods in Europe in 1993 and polder areas for holding flood area? 1995, the Netherlands, Belgium, waters, - Is the use of dikes and dams the Luxembourg, Germany, France - Restoring several thousand only way to fight floods? and Switzerland formulated the square kilometers of flood plains to - Did we take too much land from ‘INTERREG Rhine-Meuse Activities’ safely hold and slowly release peak fluvial plains and rivers and did we (IRMA) programme that combines floodwaters; leave enough space for flood? technical and spatial measures - Relocating settlements from - Are there other ways that people based on the principles of the Living flood-prone areas to higher ground can live with floods in the flooded River Concept to reduce flood risk. safe from flooding; areas? An important aspect of IRMA is also - Reinforcing key embankments - Did we have the right way to the reinforcement of the structures (Onishi et al. Undated; Ramsar protect our water resources? of co-operation on a basin level Convention Secretariat 2010) - Did we fully involve the people in in the field of integrated water flood reduction? management. The ‘32 Character Policy’ was - Did we consider all the water the first time that the Chinese issues, including surface water and The experiences showed to the government considered the great groundwater? Government of China that most of importance of the ‘soft’, non- - What are the best ways to manage the strategies at that time for flood engineering measures for flood water resources? protection were merely focused on control and utilization. The floods - Is it better to have a single water short-term solutions. Dredging, dike in the Central Yangtze River shows management system or to have enforcement and other technical that further reinforcement of watershed management? measures were mainly of local engineering approaches to flood significance and will not contribute control would not completely From then on, a series of to long-term solutions. A long-term eliminate flood disasters, and international experiences were and lasting solution of reducing that the non-engineering introduced to China to address flood risk and requires other ‘Living approaches must be strengthened. the problem of floods, water River’ approaches. Considering only The previous disorderly and shortage, water pollution and water technical measures is no longer unrestrained reclamation of flood management. In particular, was the sufficient in order to offer enough plains should be and transformed experience from the Rhine River protection against floods. into an orderly, sustainable (Germany). approach where people can coexist Only a combination of technical, harmoniously with floods. Land In the Netherlands, the new policy physical, environmental and development and utilization must of ‘Room for the River’ based on governmental measures will lead be moderated, in order to provide the principles of the ‘Living River to a sustainable river system that adequate flood storage capacity. Concept’ was developed that offers a sustainably satisfying

14 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) In the autumn of 1998, China’s slopes have been reforested, over Yangtze River to China, the major National Development and 2 million people have been re- threats to the Yangtze and both Reform Commission, Ministry housed away from the flooded gaps and opportunities to take of Water Resources, Ministry of polder areas, and the biggest lakes action, it was proposed to establish Finance and other Ministries and in the central Yangtze have, for a ‘Yangtze River Forum’ to provide Administrations worked together the first time in a hundred years, a platform for public participation to develop the ‘Polder Return showed the trend of restoration. by all key stakeholders, to make to Lake Plan’ in Hubei, Hunan, However, these successes can only a decision for the sustainability of Jiangxi and Anhui Provinces in be temporary progress if the various the ‘Chinese Dragon’ (The Yangtze the Central Yangtze, covering the issues and conflicts across the basin River). most important area of wetlands are not tackled. The major gaps in the Central Yangtze. At the end include the lack of a systematical The objectives of the Forum are: of 1998, the plan was implemented comprehensive river basin plan and lasting about 6 years. With which should, from the perspectives - To provide to related official an investment of RMB 10.1 billion of national strategic development, departments in both central and (about US$ 1.6 billion) into the set the river basin flood control local governments, domestic and ‘Polder Return to Lake Plan’, more objectives and call for actions of all international organizations and than 2.45 million people was related parties; lack of an effective NGOs, a platform for knowledge relocated from the farmlands that mechanism for collaboration and and information sharing; had been reclaimed from natural cooperation between government - To facilitate and promote the wetlands, and 2,900 km2 of polders departments at various levels due establishment of a dialogue were restored to natural lakes, to the current sector-oriented river mechanism among the key rivers and wetlands. basin management and high degree stakeholders in the Yangtze The ecological improvement was of centralization. River Basin, and to build a strong tremendous after the restoration of strategic partnership among the wetlands. The wetland restored, However, in a historical transition them; and especially promote the enlarged and habitats recovered period, the Chinese government collaboration among the provincial in Dongting and Poyang, the two has also been developing new and municipal governments along big lakes in the Central Yangtze. approaches to govern the country. the Yangtze and to establish a Furthermore, from calculation by At the 16th CPC National Congress strong partnership and network; the Water Resource Departments (2002), it agreed to adopt a - To facilitate coordination among of the 4 beneficial Provinces (Hubei, human-oriented, balanced and different projects in the Yangtze Hunan, Jiangxi and Anhui), the all-dimensional approach to River Basin to effectively utilize the nature flood retention capacity in sustainable development, including various resources; these areas increase 13 billion cubic the harmonization of five main - To promote the development meters (the total reservoir capacity areas of future development. and implementation of the of Three Gorge Dam Project was 22 This included the harmonization comprehensive development billion). In addition, flood loses and between economic development and conservation strategy for the input for flood fighting decreased and the human and natural Yangtze River Basin; by more than 2.5 billion Chinese environment, promoting a greater - To attract the attention and Yuan (US$ 0.41 billion) every year. emphasis on resource preservation increase awareness of high level and the protection of the natural politicians, corporate leaders, 3.4.3 River basin dialogue – the environment. In April 2004, as scholars and international and ‘Yangtze River Forum’ the first practice of these new public communities on river philosophy, Premier Wen Jiabao conservation and to revive the With the new major policy changes instructed that ”We should carefully Yangtze River culture. and investment, such as the logging consider and make a scientific - To achieve these objectives, ban in the upper stream of Yangtze decision about major national that three organizational structure in 1998 and the introduction of have aroused a high level of concern options (membership, possible host the ‘32 Characters Policy’, a strong in society, and with which the institution, operation mechanism) foundation was established from nature side disagrees”. From the top for the Forum were developed as which to launch a response at leaders, the Chinese government is below: the scale required to ensure a now showing its strong concerns on sustainable future for the people environment issues. Realizing that many international, and nature of the Yangtze Basin. multilateral and bilateral In the past 5 years, millions of Realizing the ecological, economical organizations have many projects hectares of encroached agricultural and social importance of the in this river basin (e.g. UNEP,

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 15 UNDP, UNESCO, EU, WB, ADB, (SFA) as Vice Commissioners, and Nationally, coordination was GEF, EU, DFID, AusAID, CIDA, SIDA, also participated by other central poor or non-existent among DGIS, AfD, JICA, JBIC, GTZ, TNC, government agencies; local and regional river basins CI, IUCN and WWF), many of these - Yangtze Basin Fishery Resources authorities. Most administrators organizations were mobilized to Management Commission: and politicians, and most of the join as founder members and to vice-bureau level organization general public considered the establish a Yangtze Development supervised by the Fishery Bureau exploitation of the river and its and Conservation Forum. For the of MoA; headed by the Deputy catchment area as an undisputable operation of the Forum, every Director of Fishery Bureau of MoA; right. Overarching problems were founder member holds the Forum - Yangtze Flood Prevention addressed by the Ministry of Water organized every two years Commission: headed by Hubei Resources (MoWR), but mainly Provincial Governor; responsible for from an engineering point of view. Many of the related national flood prevention especially in the Hydraulic mission thinking has governmental agencies are major summer; been the dominant paradigm in participants of the Forum, they are: - Changjiang Maritime Safety Chinese water management, as Administration; illustrated by the many vast hydro- - Yangtze Provincial People’s - Yangtze Navigation Bureau; engineering projects, including Political Consultative Conference: - Provincial governments along the the present South-to-North Water Under the Chinese Peoples’ Political Yangtze River. Diversion Project. Consultative Conference (CPPCC), every province and municipality has There are also a few key As conventional management a provincial PPCC. The provincial governmental agencies which approaches cannot address current PPCCs along the Yangtze organized formed a founder member group river basin challenges effectively, annual conference to discuss the to establish the Forum. For the the following problems were protection of water and aquatic operation of the Forum, a Forum identified. environment. These conference Secretariat was established and the Lack of favourable legislation and conclusions are submitted to the Forum organized every two years in regulations for proper river basin State Council and have significant different province along the Yangtze management; influence for the governance of the River Basin. - Unclear definition of Yangtze River; responsibilities of interested - Changjiang Water Resource 3.5 Integrated River Basin government agencies; Commission: vice-ministerial Management in the Yangtze River - Lack of mechanisms and organization in the Ministry platforms for cross-sectoral and of Water Resource (MoWR); With the start of China’s National trans-jurisdictional coordination; responsible for water quantity Five Year Plans in 1953, the top - Lack of policy mechanisms for management and hydro- priority was on the economic river basin management; infrastructure; development of the country and - Lack of participation from - Yangtze River Valley Water until the sixth Five Year Plan, stakeholders and wider public. Resource Protection Bureau: little attention was given to supervised by both Ministry environmental values. It can be The river basin management of Water Resources and State argued that many of the water system at that time was not able Environmental Protection problems in China result from an to meet the requirements of the Administration (SEPA); responsible ongoing denial of the importance situation, meaning a fresh IRBM for both water quantity of a healthy ecosystem for a philosophy and the associated management and water quality sustainable economy, and from methods and supporting legislation monitoring and management; the lack of an integrated approach had to be introduced to support - Yangtze Soil Preservation to river basin management. In implementation of comprehensive Commission: established in 1988 the case of the Yangtze River for measures and promote collective by the State Council; headed by example, there are four river-wide action by all stakeholders the Sichuan Provincial Governor as authorities with responsibilities for throughout the river basin. the Commissioner, the ministers the management of the river and of MoWR, National Develop and its resources: the Yangtze River In 2002, the China Council for Planning Commission (SDRC, Resource Commission, the Yangtze International Cooperation on current National Development Fishery Management Commission, Environment and Development and Reform Commission, NDRC), the Yangtze Navigation (CCICED) launched an IRBM Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Commission, and the Yangtze Water task force to advise and inform State Forestry Administration Resource Protection Bureau. the national government on a

16 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) successful implementation of in 2004, China State Council Policy”, it short-comings became IRBM in China. WWF at that time announced one document on clear; it did not properly address had succeeded in getting a chair in nationwide ‘Reinforce the Wetland sustainable alternatives for “wrong CCICED. This made it possible to Conservation and Management’. land use within the river basin” promote two candidates to co- Later, more than 12 provinces (e.g. land reclamation for growing chair the IRBM task force which developed their own wetland rice, extensive logging) and there had a clear view on IRBM and legislations which covered most of were many complex institutional the importance of a healthy river the Yangtze River Basin and other arrangements between water ecosystem. The viewpoints of the areas in China, such as: resource management and land co-chairs were important because - Hunan Provincial Wetland use plans that hindered a successful they set the agenda for the task Conservation Regulation, Oct. 2005 implementation. Moreover, force and thus pave the route to the - Jiangxi Governmental Decision there was little or no awareness recommendations to the Chinese on Reinforce the Conservation of among the wider public of how a government. WWF also offered to Wetland, March, 2006 river (ecosystem) functions and co-host the task force secretariat - Anhui Governmental Decision that there was an urgent need of in this way, further grounding their on Reinforce the Conservation of coordination between land use in position in the task force. Wetland, March, 2006 the up-stream and down-stream - Gansu Wetland Conservation areas. In November 2004, the co-chairs Regulation, Jun. 2006 of the IRBM taskforce delivered - Shanxi Wetland Conservation To ensure that the ‘Central Yangtze their recommendations to Regulation, Jun. 2006 River Region Polder Return CCICED Annual General Meeting. - Guangdong Wetland Conservation Lake Policy’ was implemented These recommendations further Regulation, Sept. 2006 smoothly, it was recognized that found their way to the relevant - Shanghai Wetland Conservation the development of alternative ministries (in particular the MoWR) Regulation, May, 2007 livelihood was the key issue. This to be implemented. In 2006, - Hubei Wetland Conservation was not only related to the current the Changjiang Water Resource Regulation, Sept. 2007 situation but it also affected the Commission began to revise the - Liaoning Wetland Conservation population who emigrated from ‘Yangtze Basin Comprehensive Regulation, Oct. 2007 endangered polders (flooded Utilization and Development areas) in the future survival and Plan’ to make it more sustainable The local wetland legislation development. Therefore, it is a and integrated. Although this is greatly improved awareness about matter that whether the central not a direct result from CCICED the concept and status of nature policy can be fulfilled or fail. If not recommendations, it shows that wetland conservation which was properly developed immigrant life efforts are being taken in order to first introduced from Ramsar, as will be not guaranteed and the implement a new way of thinking. well as the importance and benefit people will go back to the original Even more important was that of wetlands for flood retention. places. the recommendation to establish Furthermore, together with the a special Yangtze River Forum, in development of wetland nature In 1999, WWF China developed which all important stakeholders reserves under local wetland a series of pilot projects to of the river basin are gathered, is legislations, more than 140 national demonstrate the benefits realized. wetland parks have been developed of wetland restoration for under the new policies during past biodiversity, and to seek alternative 3.6 Local legislations on 12 years which provided a great new income options for farmers, wetland conservation wetland conservation opportunity based on the sustainable use of for future. wetlands. One of these sites was After 1998, the Chinese government at Xipanshanzhou polder, Donting began preparation for developing 3.7 Developing alternative Lake, one of the largest lakes in a national wetland legislation solutions for local development the central Yangtze River region. aimed at reinforcement of the WWF China organized meetings natural wetland management and Although the “32 Character Policy” for the local people to explain conservation for the benefit of guideline was an important step in how the natural lake systems flood reduction and biodiversity recognizing the important function functions and how intervention of conservation. But for some of nature in the sustainable use of mankind during the past decades coordination reasons, the legislation river basins, implementation of this led to deterioration of the natural is not ready until now. Instead of policy was not easy. Soon after the ecological functioning of the the national wetland legislation, proclamation of the “32Character lake and increased flood risks.

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 17 After these “awareness sessions” Raised awareness of the local and are better than the health there was a joint exploration of community was another major standards for water used to irrigate alternative livelihoods which are outcome. The Dongting Lake food crops. in better balance with the natural example demonstrated that the dynamics of a large lake, such as livelihoods approach had lasting Overall, the project was successful: Dongting Lake. improvements. - As an example of working with the local community in developing Eventually, after a series of During the project, various and adopting alternative workshop, WWF China’s Dongting partnerships for livelihood livelihoods systems that are Lake Project began supporting development were built. At the better suited with the natural several alternative income local level, a community-based environment; generating activities, such as organization was created in which - In using participatory planning animal farming (pig, duck, cow, hen hundreds of families participated, at the community level to provide and goat), fish cage farming and as well as an Organic Farming entrance for discussion with higher organic horticulture, to encourage Association which the farmers level officials on more controversial people away from rice growing in themselves managed. In order to water management issues, such the polder. The use of biogas as an explore and build a solid market for as flood management policy and alternative source of energy was the product of organic farming and to embed the field level activities introduced as well. Moreover, a horticulture, organic agriculture within the policy framework. number of households living in the companies were involved. These polder were resettled to higher public-private co-operations 3.8 Summary grounds. provided support and marketing advice to farmers and the village’s A number of factors contributed One of the most motivating results organic agriculture associations. to the 1998 floods being so of this approach was that apart The Ministry of Environmental devastating. These included from public support for the new Protection’s (MoEP) Organic upstream deforestation causing way of life, the annual income of Development Center certificated erosion of the hillsides and the people involved in the project some of the organic products that accelerated siltation downstream, increased more than 100%. In 2000, were grown, thereby assigning an and fragmentation and the income attributed to the project official label to the products. degradation of the floodplain and was RMB 1,465/household, while in river systems leading to the loss 2003, the amount was RMB 2,881/ Due to the success of WWF China of wetland function. The basis of household, and in 2004, it increased Dongting Lake project to develop these problems were a), a lack of further to RMB 3,196/household. A alternative livelihoods schemes, awareness about the values and WWF China survey (Schuyt 2005) actions were also carried out to functions of wetlands b), improper demonstrated that households restore the ecological value of the policies in dealing with floods participating in the project had flooded wetland areas. More than and the natural environment and a higher income level than those 500 km2 of embanked area (the c), institutional conflicts in the not participating in the project. former polder) were restored to management of rivers and the In 2003, the average household wetlands. At present, these areas floodplain. income in the whole polder area also serve as a flood retention was RMB 9,360/household (against area. This means that during high The terrible impact of the 1998 RMB 2,000 /household in 1999). In peak flows on the Yangtze River, floods in China was the turning addition to income, other important these wetlands can be inundated point for flood control and improvements of livelihoods have to reduce the height of the flood highlighted that the previous been generated as a result of this waters. WWF China’s preliminary hard-engineering approaches to project (Pan et al. 2011). biodiversity monitoring reports flood control was both costly and show that the diversity and quantity ineffective. This gave urgency to Improvement in livelihood showed of vegetation has increased, as well the highest-level of government a ripple effect: neighboring as that of amphibians, fish and bird to develop and implement an families replicated activities such species. Environmental and heavy alternate and more effective flood as biogas stoves or pig-farming metal indexes of water (including management strategy as soon as even without the intervention dissolved oxygen, nitric salt, possible. At the time, international of the Dongting Lake project. ammonia-salt, coli form, microbe experience highlighted the The project demonstrated active population, and fluorine) show benefits of an integrated flood participation of, and benefits for that the major indexes are lower management approach which the women and elderly in the project. as a result of wetland restoration, Government of China was able to

18 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) consider, adopt and adapt for the local economical development. In became blank areas with no clear national situation. The result was Pakistan, some of the problems management body and were the adoption of a series of new may be avoided before they occur. later either occupied by poplar conservation and development tree planting or crab-culture (the policies, establishment of new 3.8.1 Centralized Government invaded species in the areas) which wetland nature reserves and new with quick policy development took over most of the important local development approaches. and no legislation follow up key species habitats, and totally The ‘32 Character Policy’ that converted the natural wetland the Chinese government issued China has a centralized government ecosystem. after the 1998 floods used a ‘soft’, with strong power on decision The other failure of the programme non-engineering approach to making once there a special or was the inconsistency of the reducing flood risk by working urgent situation is encountered. policy with legislation which with nature rather than fighting it. But at the same time however, led to irregular natural wetland This approach has been not only there is sometimes a lack of full exploitation. Compared with other been beneficial in managing the consideration of the impact from areas in China, implementation larger floods but has also brought long term planning caused by of wetland legislation is very socio-economic and environmental quick decision making, lack of hard. Until now, there is no benefits. Some 2.4 million affected experiences, detailed study and national wetland law as a people were relocated from the evaluation on the later effects reference for either development most flood-prone lands to adjacent, are very common in many of the or conservation. In the Central higher ground. As a result, their national programmes. Yangtze, population growth and livelihood has improved through economic development are always a reduced risk from flooding and The 1998 flood was a big event the biggest pressure to the natural diseases, economic diversification, which totally reformed the wetland ecosystem. The reason higher incomes, and better access traditional flood control thinking for certain wetlands still being in to services. The environment has of the country. By this flood, the their natural condition are because benefitted through improved water strategic ecological approaches people have not yet developed quality, recovery of biodiversity on flood control were widely the skills to exploit hose areas. and designation of nature reserves. communicated to the whole country The present wetland habitats in This ‘soft’ approach continues to be through the new “32 Character the Central Yangtze region is have refined and was adopted as a key Policy” mentioned before. People existed for thousands of years measure in China’s 2007 National endangered by flood in the Central because they have been used Climate Change Programme Yangtze areas were removed from for fisheries and agriculture by (Pittock and Xu 2010). flood risk areas, huge areas of people. With the new technique farmlands (more than 2900 km2 of and pressures from economic An effective integrated flood polder areas in the Central Yangtze) development, people will quickly management approach depends were returned to wetland, lake or develop skills and modern upon a combination of technical, river. The overall situation was good techniques, there will no longer be physical, environmental and for the people and flood control. obstacles for wetland exploration. governmental measures backed However, for the following reasons, Taking East Dongting Lake as by collaboration and cooperation the later effects were not as good as an example, since 2007, by new between all the relevant hoped. technique development, more than stakeholders, including government 13,000 ha of natural wetland have departments and agencies at Firstly, a lack of further new been enclosed by low dyke and various levels under high-level and policies on ecological management developed as fish culture areas, centralized coordination. planning for the restored wetland including parts of the core area of was one of the failures of the ‘Big the national nature reserve. The However, despite the great progress Polder Return Lake’ programme. new technique can be so effective that have been made, there remains Huge investments were made for working in a wetland that they many problems until now due to the on the relocation of the people can enclose a 600 ha wetland area existing national political structures threatened from the flood and large in one night. and decision making procedures, areas became the wetland, flood pressures from natural resources retention areas were increased. 3.8.2 Problem with traditional management and exploitation, Due to lack of further planning agriculture and reforming the land ownership and traditional and appropriate approaches on A strong demand for grain during land use in the Central Yangtze, the protection and restoration, the the last century caused large ssale and strong needs for national and exensive areas that were restored wetland reclamation. For example

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 19 from 1950 until 1990, the area of all the crops need to fight with Dongting Lake decreased from flood every year. After 1990, the 4,350 km2 to 2,700 km2 . If counting pressure for grain producton was of the historical reclamation of reduced nationwide. Especially the wetland, more than 20,000 after the 1998 floods, the reform wetlands were reclaimed in the of local agriculture structure is surrounding areas of the lake and strongly needed for both nature and river basin. For grain production human being. In 2000, there was a in the areas mostly composed of 4,350 programme plan developed rice, cotton and rape which are aimed at further restoration of all the crops need to fight with nature wetland areas in Dongting flood every year. After 1990, the Lake from 2,700 to 4,350 km2 and pressure for grain producton was reforming the local agriculture reduced nationwide. Especially with wise use of nature wetland after the 1998 floods, the reform approaches. If this programme is of local agriculture structure is implemented, there will be a new strongly needed for both nature and beginning for a good example of human being. In 2000, there was a people and nature living in harmony 4,350 programme plan developed with floods across the whole aimed at further restoration of country. But it was failed in 2003 nature wetland areas in Dongting due to firstly, the inconsistence of Lake from 2,700 to 4,350 km2 and policy making of high level political reforming the local agriculture body, the budget was not approved with wise use of nature wetland and there was no further funding approaches. If this programme is on the programme; secondly, there implemented, there will be a new were no further legislation on beginning for a good example of wetland conservation to support people and nature living in harmony the plan; and thirdly, there were with floods across the whole changes in the leadership of the country. But it was failed in 2003 Central Government. due to firstly, the inconsistence of policy making of high level political body, the budget was not approved and there was no further funding on the programme; secondly, there were no further legislation on wetland conservation to support the plan; and thirdly, there were changes in the leadership of the Central Government.

3.8.2 Problem with traditional agriculture and reforming

A strong demand for grain during the last century caused large ssale wetland reclamation. For example from 1950 until 1990, the area of Dongting Lake decreased from 4,350 km2 to 2,700 km2 . If counting of the historical reclamation of the wetland, more than 20,000 wetlands were reclaimed in the surrounding areas of the lake and river basin. For grain production in the areas mostly composed of rice, cotton and rape which are

20 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) 4. RESULTS OF MEETINGS DURING THE RAM

4.1 Flood disaster the country were suffering from storing the summer monsoon rains management in Pakistan floods (with 400mm in less than for use in times of water shortage 24 hrs), Balochistan Province was and drought. Since the 2010 floods, there has experiencing a drought. been improved coordination Part of the cause of the 2010 between government agencies in 4.2 Future management of floods was blamed on the fact flood management. The Federal floods that the hillsides in the upper Flood Commission, National and catchment of the Indus have lost Provincial Disaster Management In late 2012, the FFC was short- about 30% of their water storage Authorities and the Pakistan listing a consultant to begin work on ability due to poor management. Meteorological Office have a drafting the 4th Flood Management In the long-term, an integrated mechanism for closer cooperation Plan for Pakistan. Unlike previous flood management needs to be and coordination to deal with flood Flood Management Plans, this developed that will also focus on management. Despite best efforts, one would take an integrated restoring the hillsides for flood another sever monsoon flood approach to flood management management. occurred in 2011 in Balochistan in the Indus River basin, as well as Province that affected some the Kharan closed basin and the WAPDA stated that there was a 77,500 people with 23 dead and Makran coastal basin. The work was need for the construction of more 427 injured. In response, the planned to begin in January 2013, reservoirs which would serve to government launched their largest be completed within 12 months i), store the monsoon water and ever relief operation costing over Rs and the completed plan would so minimize the risk of floods ii), 10 billion (approx. USD 104 million). have a life of 10 years. The Plan provide water during time of low would not only look at floods along water or drought ii), provide water It was agreed by everyone whom the Indus River as disaster to be for irrigation and iv), hydropower the RAM team met that these managed but also, how to use the generation. Some 32 new dams extreme events were caused by flood waters to provide benefits for have been proposed with approx. global climate change that is having people, hydropower development, eight per province. In constructing an increasing, but differing impact irrigation, navigation, recharge such dam, WAPDA also stated on the country. For example in groundwater for drinking etc. It will EIA’s are always conducted on such 2012, whilst the central part of also investigate opportunities for projects and that their positive

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 21 and negative impacts would be conservation management. Complex, Chashma Barrage assessed. However, the Irrigation Department and Taunsa Barrage). Along the can still place restrictions on the Indus River in the province, a well 4.3 Conservation kinds of activities that can be managed system of fisheries has management of Ramsar Sites carried out at the ponds, such as been established. Fishing rights are along the Indus River floodplains controlling the construction of given to contractors who are then further structures and settlements, responsible for the catch along Presently, there are four Ramsar and the timing of when to drain or particular stretches of the river. Sites located along the floodplains flood the ponds. The original illegal The contractor is responsible for of the Indus River. They are Uchhali settlers in the pond areas were the proper management of the Complex, Chashma Barrage and removed after the 2010 floods but fishing and for any offenses that Taunsa Barrage (Punjab Province), due to the presence of influential they or their workers may commit. and Indus Dolphin Reserve (Sindh people, the settlers are now The Punjab Fisheries Department Province). encroaching into the pond areas controls the season when fishing again. can be conducted as well as the size Both the Chashma and Taunsa of the fish that can be caught. Barrages are wildlife sanctuaries, Taunsa Barrage is a popular supporting many important species destination for visitors and students In recent years, Sindh Province that concentrate particularly at from surrounding areas, such as has moved from a similar system the pond areas located on either Multan. In 2011, WWF Pakistan and of fishing by contract to one with side of the Indus River upstream the PPFWD constructed eight mud licenses that cost a nominal (Rs of the barrages. Normally, these check post at the site and hired 14- 100-150/year) with no catch limit. pond areas are empty and they are 15 guards with motorbikes (funded As the system is poorly controlled, managed principally to absorb the by WWF) to stop encroachment there is now an estimated 2,000 rising water behind the barrage into the area. An education centre to 4,000 fishermen (including when water is being stored for has been opened and WWF are now some without licences), who try irrigation or for flood control (JFIT carrying out a number of projects to harvest as much fish as they 2010). involving the local community. can from the river. Some of these WWF has also produced a draft fishermen also resort to using The pond areas at Taunsa Barrage management plan for the site and illegal methods, including poison are owned by the Irrigation Punjab Province has a Wetland which may also kill the Indus River Department but since the 1960s, Policy which considers the Dolphins in the river. If offenders there have been disputes between management of both Chashma and are caught, then they may only be government agencies and the Taunsa Barrages. given a small fine. influential local land-owners over the management of the ponds, such The Punjab Provincial Disaster Sindh Wildlife Department has that the management has changed Management Authority stated been conducting surveys of the several times between conservation that they would welcome Indus River Dolphin and have use by the Wildlife Department cooperation with WWF to see how recorded an increasing trend and use for agriculture by the local to improve the management of in the number since the first land-owners. There were also the three Ramsar Sites in Punjab survey in 2001, In the in the cases of illegal encroachment in Province so as to increase the Indus Dolphin Reserve between the pond areas which after the benefits that these sites provide Guddu and Sukkur Barrages, with 2010 floods were ordered to be for the communities living there. some 980 Indus River Dolphins removed. The ponds were also There could be opportunities for being recorded during the 2011 ordered to be handed over to the restoration of the wetlands so as survey. In 2011 however, some Wildlife & Fisheries Department for to provide more food (e.g. fish) for 50 dolphins were found dead in management as a wildlife sanctuary local communities and so improve the reserve and it is suspected and for educational purposed with their livelihood. but not proved, that the cause of the help of reputable NGOs such as death was poisoning. The Wildlife WWF (JFIT 2010). 4.3.1 Fisheries and the Department would like to carry out conservation of the Indus River autopsies on the carcasses but do Two years after the 2010 floods, Dolphin not have the equipment nor the the ponds at Taunsa Barrage expertise (Appendix 8). The city of was handed over to the Punjab Fishing is an important economic Sukkur takes water from the river Provincial Forest and Wildlife activity at all three of the Ramsar for household use so if fishermen Department (PPFWD) for Sites in Punjab Province (i.e. Uchhali are using poison to fish, then there

22 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) may be an impact on peoples’ forests but implementation health as well; (Appendix 9) has been difficult. For example, the Irrigation Department 4.4 Conservation has an operation manual for management of flooded forests embankments which states that along the Indus River floodplains trees should be planted at a width of 500m alongside the base of the Flooded forests uniquely grow embankments to protect them in narrow belts along the banks during times of flood. In addition, of Indus River and its tributaries, when the land outside the bund particularly in Sindh Province and is leased out for agriculture, the to some extent in Punjab. Between farmer is required to replant flooded Guddu and Sukkur Barrages, there forests on 25% of the land and to are some 120,000 acres on the left farm on the remaining 75%. This bank and 200,000 acres on the right is usually not followed though as bank. The main plant species found the farmer (who is often backed associated with riverine forests by influential people) will cultivate are Babul Acacia nilotica, Shisham the whole area so to maximise Dalbergia sissoo and Tamarax their profits (Appendix 8). There is dioica. Other species include Khejri reported to be a new Sindh Wildlife Prosopis cineraria and Populus Act which is in the process of being euphratica. These forests provide approved and which would resolve multiple benefits, e.g. in flood many of the problems. storage, timber, thatching and as a result, areas have been designated as Reserved Forests.

Over the past decade, large area of flooded forests have been lost or disturbed due to the construction of embankments cutting off the water supply to the forests, or the forests were affected through encroachment by people to create farmland. There are also laws and order problems, with illegal cutting of the trees for timber and firewood, and to free up land for grazing and other uses. Due to changes in the course of the Indus River over the years, some of the flooded forests are now up to 3-4 km inland. There is a total area of 18,000ha of riverine forests now remaining and they are in need of urgent protection. The Punjab Forest and Wildlife Department are trying to restore certain areas and have re-seeded 7,500ha of land where the trees are now growing. In future, the Punjab FWD suggested that new channel should be built to deliver water to the areas of flooded forests.

There are government regulations for the conservation of flooded

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 23 5. DISCUSSION

5.1 RAM Objective 1: To devise many of these authorities will to the local level, have roles in a workable and cost effective be responsible for ensuring the the management and use of the strategy for wise-use of the floods sustainable management and Indus River and its resources, e.g. sharing of the water in the river water, fisheries, forests, wildlife 5.1.1 Establish a single authority basin, taking into account impacts etc. with insufficient integration for the management of the Indus to the quality and quantity of and coordination between their River Basin and its resources flow due to climate change; flood activities, and with no single management; water extraction authority to coordinate their River systems are by nature for irrigation, industrial and urban work and interests, especially integrated systems but frequently, uses; pollution from nutrients in managing floods (JFIT 2010). they are managed by many and hazardous substances; As a first step to the effective isolated government agencies environmental and biodiversity and sustainable use of the Indus who work relatively independently needs; and other priorities. The River and particularly for flood without sufficient coordination responsibility of these authorities management, it would be wise or cooperation. This has often may also include the drafting to form a single authority for the been said to be one of the main of a comprehensive river basin integrated management of the obstacles to effective river management plan involving all the river basin. basin management. In order to relevant government ministries, remedy this situation, a number department and agencies to 5.1.2 Development of of countries have established promote better governance of the an Integrated Basin Flood mechanisms to promote effective water resources, management and Management Plan integration, such as through conservation of the environment establishing river basin authorities. and biodiversity through Although Pakistan has drafted Examples include the Yellow River information sharing, demonstration three previous National Flood Conservancy Commission, China and public participation. Such plans Protection Plans, none of these (http://www.yellowriver.gov.cn/) can also complement the planning have taken a holistic and integrated and the Murray-Darling Basin for national strategic development. approach to addressing flood Authority, Australia (http://www. In Pakistan, a number of different management along the Indus mdba.gov.au/). Often under the government ministries, department River. The lack of an integrated goal of ensuring a ‘healthy river’, and agencies from the federal flood management plan was also

24 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) highlighted as one of the main communities, form the federal drafting of the Plan, to ensure worries of the Judicial Flood Inquiry to the local level. Guidelines on that it incorporates the principles Tribunal that was established in drafting integrated basin flood of integrated flood management Punjab, and they stated that this management plans are available to be able to recommend actions was an ‘immediate necessity’ and (APFM 2007). that can minimize the damage that the plan should focus on the from future floods whilst providing whole Indus Water System (JFIT The 4th Flood Control Management benefits to, and helping local 2010). As a result of the change Plan will have a life of 10 year, communities living in the floodplain in attitude towards flood control from 2014 to 2024. In view of region to adapt to future floods. since the 2010 floods (JFIT 2010), this long period, the Plan should the 4th plan that is now in the be formulated in a way so that Whilst many of the stakeholders process of being drafted under it is flexible enough to take into that the RAM team talked the responsibility of the Federal consideration any changes in with agreed with an integrated Flood Commission (FFC) will flood risk that may appear in the approach to flood management take onboard the principles of coming years. In particular, will be involving all the relevant integrated flood management the impacts from the shift in the stakeholders, it seems that there across the basin of the Indus River distribution, timing and severity of may be institutional obstacles in Pakistan, to cover hill torrents the monsoon rains due to climate and it was suggested that high- and floodplains, and will include change (section 1.4) and the level leadership would be needed the use of floodplain wetlands in increased rate of melting of the to drive the process as well as flood mitigation. As such it will upstream glaciers (IPCC 2007). ground work amongst the different be much more than just a plan for stakeholder groups to make it protection against floods but should In developing the 4th Flood Control happen. also address how to harness the Management Plan, consideration many benefits that floods can bring, should be given to other related 5.1.3 Land-use planning for the such as nutrient rich soils, water for policies and strategies, including Indus River floodplains irrigation and for storage during the National Wetland Policy times of drought, and restoration (Pakistan Wetlands Programme Pakistan lacks an adequate and of biodiversity such as riverine 2012) and the National Climate integrated land use planning and forests. The issues of the safety of Change Policy (Anon 2012), as well supporting legislation system people, homes and infrastructure, as planned policy documents such (SLMP undated). As a result, this as well as land-use planning also as the National Water Policy and the has lead to illegal encroachments need to be considered. Due to National Sustainable Development and activities along the Indus River these reasons, the 4th plan should Strategy. The purpose is to look floodplain and this was repeatedly be more accurately referred to as for opportunities for synergies reported to the RAM team as one a ‘Flood Management Plan’, rather between these different important of the major factors preventing than a ‘Flood Protection’ or ‘Flood policy initiatives and encourage effective management of the Control’ Plan, so as to help shift the cooperation between different annual floods. Floodplain maps approach from looking at floods as ministries and agencies to manage need to be produced and through disasters, to floods as opportunities. floods. In particular, is the draft these, to enact new legislation to We need to live with nature rather National Water Policy which was demarcate the areas of land that than to fight it. produced in 2005 and which will should be set aside on each bank provide a framework for improving of the river for flood control and To ensure that the final Plan adopts flood management through to stop encroachment in these a truly holistic approach to flood institutional and legal reforms (JFIT areas. The production of land-use control, the FFC has stated that 2010). However, the draft has yet to plans for floodplains would help the process of drafting the Plan be finalized. to ensure that developments, e.g. will include open consultation roads, bridges and urban centres, and consider comments from all The most effective way of are built in an appropriate location relevant stakeholders, such as developing a workable and cost and manner so that they do not relevant government ministries effective strategy for wise-use of block the passage of water during an departments (e.g. Ministry the floods would be through the floods and increase the flood risk of Planning and Development, drafting of the 4th Flood Control (APFM 2007). Ministry of Climate Change, Management Plan. The members Irrigation Department etc.), of the RAM team would be happy After the 2010 floods, the Board agencies (e.g. NDMA, PMO, to continue to provide support to of Revenue in Punjab is reported WAPDA), NGOs and local the Government of Pakistan in the to have mapped the floodplains

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 25 in the state and the Government Dolphin, and a range of impacts in a water stress to a water scarce of Punjab is now considering the Indus River delta. country. Water availability has introducing legislation to prohibit already fallen from 5,300 m3 per any construction within the When alterations began to the Indus person per year in 1950 to almost floodplain area that may obstruct River in the 1940s with construction 1,000 m3 in 2011, and the trend the normal river flow and to ban of the first major dams across the will likely continue due to changes including unauthorized bunds and river, the amount of freshwater in rainfall patterns, wastage and embankments (JFIT 2010). and silt load reaching the delta a growing population (Express area and the Arabian Sea began to Tribune 2012). Once the illegal structures have decrease. Comparing flow before been removed, there will then and after the construction of the Irrigation of agricultural land is be opportunities to develop the Tarbela Dam, Randhawa (2002) the main use of water in Pakistan, floodplains for alternative land- stated that in normal years, annual with 73% (104 million acre feet) uses, such as agricultural systems flows was been reduced from 95.4 of the water from the Indus River that are adapted to the annual to 48.4 billion m3 (77.3 to 39.2 maf) being taken out for irrigation and floods so that the local communities whilst in the dry years (10 percent only about 35 maf flowing out to can continue to gain their livelihood probability), the annual flow was the Arabian Sea. Furthermore, from the land but in an orderly and reduced from 31.6 to 13.5 billion m3 the irrigation system is known to secure manner. The restoration of (25.6 to 10.9 maf). be highly inefficient, with about retention lakes and ponds, riverine 35% of the water being lost in forests, could also be implemented In 1991, the four provinces transit from the canals to fields to enhance resilience to floods. in Pakistan signed the Water and another 25% is lost because The development of appropriate Apportionment Accord to share of inefficient irrigation techniques, agricultural systems and restoration the water of the Indus River (IUCN with only 40% reaching the crops techniques could be done by the 2010). During the meeting, Sindh (Kamal 2008). Hussain et al. (2011) relevant government agency Province estimated that 10 maf gives a similar efficiency rate of together with experienced NGOs. (7%) of the flow in the Indus River 35%. was required to reach the river 5.1.4 Maintaining delta but presently, the amount is The Ministry of Food, Agriculture environmental flows in the Indus much less and will likely continue and Livestock has targeted River to decline due to the further agriculture growth to increase by construction of upstream dams 5% per year from 2000 to 2010, Environmental flow is the quantity, and reservoirs (IUCN undated). The with an increase in the cropped quality and timing of water flow reduce quantity of freshwater from area by 0.5 percent per annum to needed to sustain the ecosystems the Indus reaching the river mouth be achieved by providing additional along the river from the source is causing the wells of the coastal water to increase cropping to the mouth, as well as to villages to become saline and a loss intensity in irrigated area of the maintain the benefits that the river in coastal protection services due Indus basin (Randhawa 2002). If the provides to people. By ensuring to erosion of the mudflats and loss trend continues, then it is essential environmental flows, water of mangroves (Drinkwater and to improve irrigation efficiency so managers are aiming to achieve a Frank 1994; Menon 2005; Nasir and as to relieve pressure on the Indus flow that maintains a healthy river Akbar 2012). Despite this, some River for its precious and limited and also provides for human uses. still consider any freshwater that water supply. reaches the seas as being ‘unused’ During the RAM, the team learnt and ‘a total loss’ (Anon undated). There has been a growing voice for about the progress that has been Maintenance of environmental the construction of more upstream made to manage the Indus River for flows along the whole Indus River is dams and reservoirs since the 2010 hydropower production, providing therefore critical for the sustainable floods, for storing flood water and water for irrigation and to control management of the river in future, for providing water during the dry floods through the construction of to ensure that the services the river season and at times of drought (ul dams, barrages and canals. Whilst provides can continue to benefit the Rehman 2011). During the meeting this has certainly benefitted the communities along the whole river with WAPDA, they mentioned country, there have also been costs (Kamal 2008; Kamal et al. 2013). that full Environmental Impact in a reduced flow of the Indus River, Assessments will be conducted the loss of the unique riverine forest 5.1.5 Water stress for any proposal future dams ecosystems, a restriction in the and water holding structures. range of the endangered Indus River Pakistan has been moving from It is important that these EIAs

26 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) also consider the impact of the 5.1.7 Communication, nutrients, are also recognized structures on environmental flow in education and public awareness and floods are ‘managed’ so as the Indus River. to maximize their benefits and to It is important to have a programme minimize the damage that severe Communication and cooperation to raise greater awareness of the floods can potentially bring. between the different stakeholder importance of the services and groups is one of the key steps for benefits that a healthy Indus River At the policy level, the RAM team achieving an integrated approach provides for the people of Pakistan would strongly recommend to the to river basin management as well and the need for the government Pakistan government that they as for developing and implementing to take an integrated approach for adopt an integrated management effective measures for flood its management, especially the approach to future floods along the control. In China, we have see the management of its floodplains for Indus River and at the site level, success of the ‘International Yellow flood mitigation. Such a programme to initiate projects at a number of River Forum’ hosted by the Yellow should be targeted from the level of pilot sites to trial techniques for River Conservancy Commission the local community, land-owners, the restoration and management every two years and the ‘Yangtze religious leaders and media, to that of floodplain so as to maximise the Forum’, in bringing together all the of the government, especially the benefits from the annual floods interested stakeholders to address younger officers. and to minize the damage that the challenges for the management severe floods may cause. Such of the Yellow River basin and the 5.1.8 Working group projects could be implemented Yangtze River Basin respectively. In by relevant government agencies, a similar way, the organization of A broad inter-disciplinary working such as the Environmental regular, e.g. biennial, ‘Indus River group needs to be established to Protection Department or by the Forum’ involving all the relevant follow up on the recommendations Wildlife and Fisheries Department stakeholders from the government, from the report of the RAM, in conjunction with experienecd academic, NGO and community made up by the range of relevant NGOs. However, before new level would also provide similar stakeholders (e.g. government, techniques are suggested for benefits. academics and NGOs) working flood control, there should be for the management of the Indus prior discussions with the local 5.1.6 ‘Indus River Forum’ River and of the annual floods. This stakeholders to document meetings working group should receive high- traditional knowledge, methods level support from the government and systems of managing and Communication and cooperation and be chaired preferably, at mitigation the impact from floods between the different stakeholder the level of the Prime Minister’s to see if those techniques are still groups is one of the key steps for office to ensure cooperation and appropriate and can be utilized. achieving an integrated approach coordination between the different to river basin management as well government ministries and The techniques to be trialed at as for developing and implementing agencies. each pilot site would depend on effective measures for flood the situation at the site but could control. In China, we have see the include one or more of these success of the ‘International Yellow 5.2 RAM Objective 2: To make techniques: River Forum’ hosted by the Yellow recommendations for alteration - Restoration of silted river River Conservancy Commission in the prevailing flood control courses, channels, ponds and lakes every two years and the ‘Yangtze strategy so as to obtain maximum connected to the Indus River and Forum’, in bringing together all the benefit from the flood water its tributaries; interested stakeholders to address - Remodelling of existing dikes and the challenges for the management The prevailing flood strategy in constrictions; of the Yellow River basin and the Pakistan has been one where - Removal of all illegal structures, Yangtze River Basin respectively. In floods are looked upon as disasters e.g. private dikes; a similar way, the organization of and need to be ‘controlled’ with - Remodelling existing channels regular, e.g. biennial, ‘Indus River hard-engineerinng approaches and construct new one, to increase Forum’ involving all the relevant such as the construction of dams the capacity to divert flood water stakeholders from the government, and reservoirs. However, there to (new) wetlands and so reduce academic, NGO and community has been a movement worldwide damages. (NGOs, MoCC etc); level would also provide similar (section 2.2) towards an integrated - Investigate the capability of benefits. approach where the benefits from existing canals to accommodate floods, e.g. provision of water and surplus flood water and divert

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 27 it to natural reservoirs, such as Department, and WWF Pakistan depressions in the ground and have initiated a community agricultural fields. conservation project at the site. WWF Pakistan has also helped to At the same time, trials need to draft management plans for both be conducted on new alternative the Taunsa Barrage and the Indus livelihood opportunities for the Dolphin Reserve Ramsar Sites. local communities living in the Indus River floodplains to help In addition, a number of other them adapt to, and benefit from sites in Sindh Province were the annual floods. This may be in recommended to the RAM team the form of the local stakeholders during the de-briefing meeting in assisting in managing the wetlands Lahore on 5 November 2012. These under a public private partnerships were the Chotiari Reservoir, Hadero programme, e.g. with the Ministry Lake, Keenjhar Lake, Halejie Lake of Climate Change or NGOs, so as to and Manchar Lake. increase their incomes and improve livelihoods. As an initial step, a small project team should visit these sites, The restoration of flooded forests particularly Taunsa Barrage and should be considered as part of the Indus Dolphin Reserve Ramsar the programme to restore the Sites, to hold discussions with the floodplains along the Indus River for local stakeholders at each site, e.g. flood control. farmers, land-owners etc., to find out how receptive they would be After the completion of the pilot and the practicality of conducting projects and depending on their trials for integrated floodplain success, consideration could be management at the each of the given to developing a larger scale site for floodplain restoration and project to restore the floodplains management to benefit flood along the Indus River for flood control, local livelihoods and control. Funding for such a wider environmental conservation. From project could come from sources these visits, a prioritized list of sites such as the ‘Climate Change can be drawn up for more detailed Adaptation Fund’. investigation and development of the pilot project. 5.3 RAM Objective 3: Identification of high priority wetlands/Ramsar Sites for restoration by using the floods as a tool for restoration.

From the field visits by the RAM team, a number of sites were identified where floodplain restoration and management projects could be conducted on a pilot basis. These were the ponds at the Lal Suhanra National Park and the Indus Dolphin Reserve Ramsar Site. Although it was not possible to visit the Taunsa Barrage Ramsar Site during the RAM, it is another potential pilot site because the management of the ponds at the site have been given over to the Punjab Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries

28 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) 6. RECOMMENDATIONS

The visit highlighted the fact that - The coordinating body should be approach of looking at the annual the Indus River is truly the lifeblood tasked with drafting and regularly floods as blessings and to maximise for Pakistan, flowing through updating an ‘Integrated Indus the benefits we can obtain from the country to provide water and River Basin Plan’ to coordinate up- them. nutrients for agriculture, as well stream land-uses with the needs of - Over the past decades, the as food, energy and livelihood for down-stream users, which can also construction of upstream dams and people across the country, form maintain the social, economic and other water control structures have the high mountains to the Arabian environmental benefits that the reduced the amount of freshwater Sea. However, there is a lack of river provides through maintaining and silt reaching the Arabian Sea. an integrated basin approach to environmental flows; This has had a range of impacts the management of the river to - The government should move on the livelihood of the people maintain the many services and away from the paradigm of solely and the environment in the Indus benefits that the river provides using a hard-engineering (or River delta. In managing the Indus for people and the environment. structural) approach to controlling River, such as for irrigation and Instead, management is conducted flood and which have been found for floods, we also need to ensure by various agencies, both national around the world to not always the environmental flows in the and provincial, with insufficient being effective despite investing river so that downstream users coordination between them, such as millions in constructing flood can continue to benefit from the managing the river to minimize the control structures; services that the river provides. impact from the annual floods. - Instead, the government should - A number of sites along the Indus take an integrated approach to River were identified as being The overall recommendations from flood management and consider suitable for further investigation the RAM are as follows: including soft-engineering (non- for conducting pilot projects on the - A broad-based coordinating structural) approaches, such as by restoration and management of authority should be established for managing floodplains and using, floodplains for flood management the sustainable management of the or restoring the lakes and ponds as well as for the improving the Indus River Basin in Pakistan and for flood water storage, and the livelihood of the local communities. its resources, e.g. water, fisheries, replanting of riverine forests to slow These sites include the ponds by biodiversity, as well as for pollution the speed of the flood waters. There Taunsa Barrage Ramsar Site, as control and flood management; is a need to take the traditional well as sites in the Indus Dolphin

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 29 Ramsar Site and at Lal Suhanra National Park; - The management plans that are being developed for the Ramsar Sites along the Indus River floodplain, e.g. Taunsa Barrage, should also discuss and provide recommendations on the management of the site for flood management; - Activities under the pilot project would include the removal of illegal structures and encroachments into the sites which otherwise would obstruct the flow of water and impact on the capacity of the site to hold flood water; - To control encroachment of the flood plains by illegal settlements and illegal structures in general, the staff of the Irrigation Department should be empowered and strengthened by facilitating them to enforce the Canal and Drainage Act (1873); - The trial of alternative livelihood methods which are adapted to the annual floods for the benefit of the local communities; restoration and management of ponds and lakes for flood water storage; develop opportunities for biodiversity conservation (e.g. restoration of riverine forests and provisions of habitat for waterbirds) as well as for education and public awareness. - Along with managing the flood plains there is an urgent need to manage the hill torrents that contribute to enhancing the vulnerability in the flood plains. - To follow-up from the RAM, it is recommended that a group of key officials and stakeholders responsible for flood management in Pakistan as well as being involved in the pilot projects, undertake a study tour to China to see at first- hand the steps that China has taken to use an integrated approach to flood management and restoring environment flows in the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

30 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) 7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This Ramsar Advisory Mission would them participated in the Mission the organizations for which the not have been possible without and in providing information and team members work. If there are the initial discussion between reviewing drafts of the final report. any mistakes or inaccuracies in the Syed Mahmood Nasir (Inspector report, then it is that of the RAM General Forests) and Anada Tiéga We are also very grateful to the team for which we apologise. (Secretary-General, Ramsar following for taking time from their Secretariat), and the strong follow busy schedule to allow the RAM Inam Ullah KHAN (IUCN Pakistan) up by Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani team to learn from them about the Lew YOUNG (Secretariat, Ramsar (Deputy Inspector General Forests) rich experience they have gained in Convention on Wetlands) and Umeed Khalid (Conservator their own field of expertise which Chen ZHANG (Chinese Academy of Wildlife, National Council for the greatly benefited the Mission. Science) Conservation of Wildlife), especially They include Muhammad Javed Xinqiao ZHANG (WWF China in approaching One UN who Malik (Secretary, Planning & Program Office) generously provided the funds for Development Division); Gul Najam the Mission. Jamy (Assistant Country Director/ Chief, Environment & Climate The team of the RAM would like to Change Unit, UNDP), and Dr. G. thank the invaluable support of the Raza Bhatti (Director, Centre for WWF Pakistan team who arranged Biodiversity & Conservation, Shah the itinerary and the logistical Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, support. They were Ali Hassan Sindh). Our sincere thanks also to Habib (Director General), Dr. Ejaz those many people whose name we Ahmad (Senior Director), Rizwan have not included here but who also Mahmood (Disaster Response played such an important role in Environmental Partnership making the RAM a success. Specialist), Dr. Masood Arshad Makhdoom (Senior Manager), Ali The opinions in this report are Hasnain Syed (Manager Policy – solely that of the members of Freshwater) and Mubashar Azam the RAM team and may not (Operations Officer). Many of necessarily represent the views of

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32 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) Goldsmith, E. and Hildyard, N. 1984. The myth of flood control. In: Goldsmith, E. and Hildyard, N (eds.) The Social and Environmental Effects of Large Dams: Volume 1. Overview. Chapter 10. Cornwall, UK, 1984. Hussain, I., Hussain, Z., Sial, M.H., Akram, W. and M. F. Farhan 2011. Water Balance, supply and demand and irrigation efficiency of Indus Basin. Pakistan Economic and Social Review 49 (1), 13-38. Inam, A., Clift, P.D., Giosan, L., Tabrez, A.R. and M. Tahir. 2007. The geographic, geological and oceanographic setting of the Indus River. In Gupta, A. (ed.) Large Rivers: Geomorphology and Management. John Wiley & Sons. pp 333 – 346. IPCC. 2007. Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Pachauri, R.K and Reisinger, A. (eds.). IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland. 104 pp. IUCN. Undated. The Lower Indus River: Balancing development and maintenance of wetland ecosystems and dependent livelihood. Available online at http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/indus.pdf IUCN. 2010. Pakistan Water Apportionment Accord for resolving inter-provincial water conflicts – policy issues and options. IUCN Pakistan, Karachi. 11 pp. Available online at http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/pk_ulr_d4.pdf Irrigation and Power Department, Sindh 2011. Presentation to 107 Engineer BN PANO AQIL on 26/03/2011 Regarding Flood Restration Work on Left Marginal Bund U/S Gudu Barrage. By: Executive Engineer, Gudu Barrage Division, Kashmore. Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal. 2010. A rude awakening: Report of the Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal on the causes of the major breaches in River Indus during the “exceptionally high floods” of 010.2 Vol. 1 and 2. 401 pp. Kamal, A. 2008. Environmental Flows Indus River System in Pakistan. Paper presented to the 3rd International Conference on Water Resources and Arid Environments (2008) and the 1st Arab Water Forum. 16-19 November 2008. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Kamal, S. Amir, P and K. Mohtadullah. 2013. Develppment of Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) for Indus Basin. WWF Pakistan, Lahore. 123 pp. Lamadrid, A. 2010. The 2010 Indus River flood Available online at http://www.cicero.uio.no/webnews/index_e. aspx?id=11421. Leschine, T.M., Wellman, K.F. and T.H. Green. 1997. The economic value of wetlands: Wetland’s role in flood protection in Western Washington. Washington State Department of Ecology, USA. pp. 68. Available online at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/97100.pdf Memon, A.A. 2005. Devastation of the Indus River Delta. Proceedings, World Water & Environmental esources Congress 2005, American Society of Civil Engineers, Environmental and Water Resources Institute, Anchorage, Alaska, May 14-19, 2005. Nasir, S.M. and G. Akbar. 2012. Effect of River Indus flow on low riparian ecosystems of Sindh: a review paper. Rec. Zool. Surv. Pakistan 21: 86-89. Onishi, T., Yoshitani, J., Wang, Y.C. and Cheng, X.T. Undated. Lessons learned on land management policy from the 1998 Changjiang River flood. Available online at www.gwptoolbox.org/index.php?option=com_case&id=112 Pakistan Meteorological Department. 2009. Climate Change Indicators of Pakistan. Technical Report No. PMD- 22/2009, August 2009. PMD Pakistan Wetlands Programme (2012). Pakistan National Wetlands Policy. Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad. 60 pp. Pan, M.Q., Yu, X.B. and Zhang, C. 2011. Community-based wise use and sustainable management of wetland: case study from polder Xipanshanzhou, Dongting Lake, China. Journal of Resources and Ecology 2(1): 66-73. Pittock, J. and Xu, M. 2010. Controlling Yangtze River floods: A new approach. World Resources Report, Washington DC. Available online at http://www.worldresourcesreport.org Qazi, U. 2012. How the British did it better. http://www.tanqeed.org/how-the-british-did-it-better-usman-qazi/ (9 December 2012) Randhawa, H.A. 2002. Water development for irrigated agriculture in Pakistan: past trends, returns and future requirements. Proceedings of the Regional Consultation, Bangkok, Thailand 3-5 October 2001. FAO, Bangkok. 356 pp. Ramsar Convention Secretariat. 2010. River basin management: Integrating wetland conservation and wise use into river basin management. Ramsar handbooks for the wise use of wetlands, 4th edition, vol. 9. Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland. ul Rehman, S.I. 2011. Pakistan flood control system. Available online at http://www.slideshare.net/grandestrategy/ pakistan-flood-control-system. SAEFL/FOWG (ed.) 2003. Guiding Principles for Swiss watercourses. Promoting sustainable watercourse management. Bern, 12 pp. Available online at http://www.bafu.admin.ch/publikationen/publikation/00404/index. html?lang=en

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 33 SLMP. Undated. Barriers to sustainable land management in Pakistan. “Sustainable Land Management to Combat Desertification in Pakistan” project. Available online at http://www.slmp.org.pk/slm_barriers.asp Weil, B. 2006. The River Come: Colonial Flooding and Knowledge Systems in the Indus Basin, 1840s-1930s. Environment and History 12 (1): 3-29. Wikipedia 2013. 2010 Pakistan floods http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Pakistan_floods. Accessed 4 January 2013. WMO. 2009. Integrated Flood Management. Concept Paper. WMO 1047. World Meteorological Organization. Geneva, Switzerland.

34 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: ITINERARY OF RAMSAR ADVISORY MISSION (RAM) TO PAKISTAN

Day Location Start End Activity

Sunday Arrival Arrival of the Mission Members at Islamabad (28 Oct) Islamabad Welcome at Islamabad Benazir Bhutto Shaheed International Airport Night stay at Grand Mention Guesthouse, Islamabad Monday Islamabad 0900 Arrival of guests at WWF Pakistan Regional Office, Islamabad (29 Oct) 0930 1030 Internal kick-­‐off meeting with WWF and MoCC organizers, and finalization of itinerary 1030 Meeting of Mission members with Secretary MoCC and IGF 1030 1130 Meeting with Mr. Alamgir Khan, chief Engineer, Federal Flood Commission (FFC) 1200 1300 Meeting and presentation by Mr. Idrees Mahsud, Director, National Disaster Management ity Author (NDMA) 1330 1430 Lunch at WWF Pakistan Islamabad Regional Office 1430 1530 Meeting and presentation by Dr. Khalid Malik, Director, Pakistan Meteorological Department 2000 Dinner at Marriot, Islamabad, hosted by Secretary Climate Change Night Stay in Hotel/Guesthouse Tuesday Lahore 0700 1200 Travel to Lahore by car (30 Oct) 1230 1330 Meeting with Mr. Imtiaz Tajwar, Secretary WAPDA, at WAPDA House, Lahore 1330 1500 Lunch and Briefing in WWF Head Office, Lahore 1500 1600 Meeting with Head Office, Lahore Night stay in Sunfort Hotel, Lahore Wednesday Lahore 0930 1100 Meetings with provincial Wildlife, Forest and Fisheries (31 Oct) Departments 1200 1300 Meeting with Irrigation Department 1330 1500 Lunch and Briefing in WWF Head Office, Lahore 1500 2000 Lahore to Bahawalpur by Air or WWF vehicles Bahawalpur Night stay in Forest Resthouse, Bahawalpur Thursday Lal Suhanra 0830 1030 Bahawalpur to Lal Suhanra National Park and meeting with park (1 Nov) management 1030 1300 Field visit of lake area in Lal Suhanra to assess its potential in flood management 1300 1400 Lunch at Lal Suhanra National Park 1400 1900 Lal Suhanra to Rahin Yar Khan Rahim Yar Night stay at Rahim Yar Khan / Saluwali Khan Friday Guddu 0800 0930 Travel to Guddu Barrage (2 Nov) Barrage 0930 1300 Field visit of Indus Dolphin Reserve, Ramsar Site 1300 1400 Lunch at Guddu Barrage (Sindh Wildlife Department) 1400 1800 Travel to Sukkur via Tori Bund area Khairpur 1800 1900 Travel to Shah A Latif University, Night Stay Saturday 0800 0900 Khairpur to Sukkur (3 Nov) Sukkur 0900 1200 Visit of Dolphin Information Centre, Meeting with Sindh Wildlife Department officers, Irrigation Department officer, and Indus Boat Safari Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 35 1200 1300 Lunch at Information Centre 1300 1600 Sukkur to Lahore, By air Day Location Start End Activity

Sunday Arrival Arrival of the Mission Members at Islamabad (28 Oct) Islamabad Welcome at Islamabad Benazir Bhutto Shaheed International Airport Night stay at Grand Mention Guesthouse, Islamabad Monday Islamabad 0900 Arrival of guests at WWF Pakistan Regional Office, Islamabad (29 Oct) 0930 1030 Internal kick-­‐off meeting with WWF and MoCC organizers, and finalization of itinerary 1030 Meeting of Mission members with Secretary MoCC and IGF 1030 1130 Meeting with Mr. Alamgir Khan, chief Engineer, Federal Flood Commission (FFC) 1200 1300 Meeting and presentation by Mr. Idrees Mahsud, Director, National Disaster Management ity Author (NDMA) 1330 1430 Lunch at WWF Pakistan Islamabad Regional Office 1430 1530 Meeting and presentation by Dr. Khalid Malik, Director, Pakistan Meteorological Department 2000 Dinner at Marriot, Islamabad, hosted by Secretary Climate Change Night Stay in Hotel/Guesthouse Tuesday Lahore 0700 1200 Travel to Lahore by car (30 Oct) 1230 1330 Meeting with Mr. Imtiaz Tajwar, Secretary WAPDA, at WAPDA House, Lahore 1330 1500 Lunch and Briefing in WWF Head Office, Lahore 1500 1600 Meeting with Head Office, Lahore Night stay in Sunfort Hotel, Lahore Wednesday Lahore 0930 1100 Meetings with provincial Wildlife, Forest and Fisheries (31 Oct) Departments 1200 1300 Meeting with Irrigation Department 1330 1500 Lunch and Briefing in WWF Head Office, Lahore 1500 2000 Lahore to Bahawalpur by Air or WWF vehicles Bahawalpur Night stay in Forest Resthouse, Bahawalpur Thursday Lal Suhanra 0830 1030 Bahawalpur to Lal Suhanra National Park and meeting with park (1 Nov) management 1030 1300 Field visit of lake area in Lal Suhanra to assess its potential in flood management 1300 1400 Lunch at Lal Suhanra National Park 1400 1900 Lal Suhanra to Rahin Yar Khan Rahim Yar Night stay at Rahim Yar Khan / Saluwali Khan Friday Guddu 0800 0930 Travel to Guddu Barrage (2 Nov) Barrage 0930 1300 Field visit of Indus Dolphin Reserve, Ramsar Site 1300 1400 Lunch at Guddu Barrage (Sindh Wildlife Department) Day Location Start1400 1800End Travel to Sukkur via Activity Tori Bund area Khairpur 1800 1900 Travel to Shah A Latif University, Night Stay Saturday Lahore 08001600 09001700 Airport Khairpur to to Hotel/Guest Sukkur House (3 Nov) Sukkur 09002000 1200 Dinner Visit of hosted Dolphin by Mr. Information Ali Hassan Centre, Habib, Meeting Director with General, WWF Sindh Wildlife PakistanDepartment officers, Irrigation Department officer, and Indus Sunday Lahore Full Day Report Boat Safari writing and preparing for De-­‐briefing Workshop (4 Nov) 1200 1300 Lunch at Information Centre MondayDay LocationLahore 0900Start 1200End Debriefing Workshop with Activity stakeholders 1300 1600 Sukkur to Lahore, By air (5 Nov) 1200 1330 Press Conference Lahore 1600 1700 Airport to Hotel/Guest House 1330 1345 Vote of Thanks by Director General, WWF Pakistan 2000 Dinner hosted by Mr. Ali Hassan Habib, Director General, WWF 1345 1500 PakistanLunch TuesdaySunday DepartureLahore Full Day Report Departure writing of the and Mission preparing for De-­‐briefing Workshop (4 (6 Nov) Monday Lahore 0900 1200 Debriefing Workshop with stakeholders (5 Nov) 1200 1330 Press Conference 1330 1345 Vote of Thanks by Director General, WWF Pakistan 1345 1500 Lunch Tuesday Departure Departure of the Mission (6 Nov)

APPENDIX 2

MEETING AT WWF-PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD OFFICE MONDAY 29TH OCTOBER, 2012

36 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) In attendance: floods but also, how the river - The maintenance of dikes should can better managed for people, be improved but such works are RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, hydropower development, expensive; IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – irrigation, navigation, recharge - There are opportunities to Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China groundwater for drinking etc; construct small dams and lakes to Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao - 70% of the rains falls in the store the flood waters and these Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF summer monsoon and so there would provide multiple benefits, – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional are opportunities to investigate e.g. for irrigation, the storage of Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar opportunities for storage of this water during drought etc.; Secretariat), water, e.g. by using wetlands; - It was mentioned in the Federal Flood Commission: Alamgir - Look at floods not only in terms discussion that Pakistan has some Khan (Chief Engineer, Floods) of disaster to be managed but as 200 some important wetlands apart Ministry of Climate Change: opportunities as well. other than Ramsar Sites which can Mehmood Alam (Secretary), Syed - Hill torrents: also play an important role in for Mahmood Nasir (Inspector General - Hillsides have lost about 30% flood management; Forests), Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani of their water storage ability due - In the management plans for the (Deputy Inspector General Forests), to poor management. However, Indus River Dolphin Ramsar Site, Umeed Khalid (Conservator focusing on the hillsides at this time the Taunsa Barrage Ramsar Sites Wildlife), would not help the people in the (both drafted by WWF Pakistan) National Disaster Management plains who are so severely being and the Lal Suhanra National Park, Authority: Muhammad Idrees affected by floods. there could be opportunities to Mahsud (Director) - Policy measures for flood control: include management works in the Pakistan Metrological Department: - Although there is a Canal and plan for enhancing the ability of the Khalid Malik (Director) Drainage Act (1873) that allows sites for managing floods. WWF – Pakistan: Ejaz Ahmad the government to clear illegal - Improving coordination between (Senior Director), Ghulam Akbar structures alongside (medium sized) government agencies in flood (Senior Director Programmes), river channels so that they do not management: Rizwan Mahmood (Manager constrict the flow of water during - Since the 2010 floods, the FFC, Disaster Response) floods, such structures do exist and NDMA/PDMA and PMO now have there is a need to remove them. a mechanism for close cooperation Summary of discussions with Such structures and the activities of and coordination to deal with Federal Flood Commission (FFC) people occupying these floodplain flood management. However in areas also cause the loss of flooded the discussions, it was felt that the - Mr. Alamgir Khan (Chief Engineer forests and the wildlife associated Ministry of Climate Change and – Floods, FFC) gave a verbal with them; the FFC should be involving each presentation on the work of the - There is a need to map the more and sharing information on Federal Flood Commission, which floodplains and through those relevant issues. was established in 1977 to be maps, it is then possible to - It was noted that the National responsible for flood management demarcate how much land can Climate Change Policy and the on a country-wide basis. be set aside on each bank of the National Wetland Policy could - 4th Flood Management Plan: river to stop encroachment. New provide opportunities for different Work is now in progress to identify a legislation on this may also be government agencies to work on consultant by the end of December required. issues of common interest, e.g. the to begin work on drafting this - Management measures for flood use of natural wetlands for flood document in Jan 2013, and to be control: control. completed by December the same - One option for dealing with floods year. is to construct ‘escape channels’ to Discussions with National - The 4th Flood Management Plan take the flood water from the main Disaster Management Authority will have a life of 10 years and will river and divert it to surrounding (NDMA) cover the entire Indus River Basin as areas. One such project is the on- well as the Kharan closed basin and going construction of the Rainee - Mr. Muhammad Idrees Mahsud the Makran coastal basin; Canal which is an off-takes from (Director, NDMA) provide a the left bank of the River Indus presentation on the ‘Disaster - The new Plan will take an up-stream from Guddu Barrage, Management System in Pakistan’ integrated approach and will look in Sindh Province. However, such to the RAM Team. not only at how the Indus River projects are costly in terms of - He said that Pakistan faces a should be managed to deal with construction and maintenance; range of disaster types which the

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 37 NDMA had to be prepared for, and  The 2010 Floods caused management related institutions to deal with. These ranged from massive damage to lives and - Efficient M&E for flood GLOF, avalanches, land-slides, property. Some 200 million people infrastructure floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, were affected with 1985 dead and - Effective disaster response force drought, forest fires, oil spills and another 2946 injured in 78 districts - Strong early warning system industrial accidents. over an area of 100,000 km2. The - Community based disaster risk - The HKH region is a region economic cost was some USD 10 management - Way forward would include: - Developing National Land-Use Plans to control land-uses and so reduce the risk of flooding. There is also a need to have a comprehensive River Act, and to have strict codes for the design of structures; - Focus on DRR rather than response; - Institutional strengthening of DMAs; - Disaster education and training; - Disaster response force; - Community based DRM. vulnerable to disasters relating to billion. Discussions with Pakistan water. This being caused by there - In 2011, the monsoon floods Meteorological Department (PMO) being too much or too little water, in Balochistan Province affected - Dr. Khalid Malik (Director, PMO) or the water being present at the some 77,500 people with 23 dead began by giving a presentation wrong place or at the wrong time. and 427 injured. In response, the entitled ‘Climate Change and - The function and structure of government launched their largest weather pattern in Pakistan’. He national and provincial disaster ever relief operation costing over Rs mentioned that the key objective management agencies was then 10 billion (approx. USD 104 million). of the PMO is to provide timely described, as well as their main - Climate change is having an weather/flood forecasts, early areas of work, e.g. production of increasing impact in the country, warnings and advisories to the National Disaster Risk Reduction such as there being: media and concerned government (DRR) Policy, National Disaster - Rising number of extreme climate bodies. Management Plan, mainstreaming events. In 2012, the central part - In Pakistan, most of the rain DRR into development. of the country experienced floods (65%) falls during the summer - NDMC works more with (with 400mm in <24 hrs) which monsoon season from June – sensitizing and raising awareness Balochistan is experiencing drought; August, with another 25% falling in about the need to prepare for - Marked shift in monsoon rainfall winter. disasters, and leaves the work of zone (from NE to NW), and with - It should be noted that Pakistan flood warning and risk reduction to intense, concentrated monsoon is historically prone to extreme the FFC to deals with. rains that creates heavy downpours weather events and disasters - The Federal Flood Forecasting within short time intervals; but after 1980, there has been a Division of the Meterological Office - Inconsistent behavior of tendency for more extreme rain is responsible for early warning, monsoon, and; events which may be related to and they provide data to NDMC - Erratic flash flood events. climate change. who then inform the provincial - Lesson learnt include: - There has also been a trend for and district authorities to take any - Whilst the Board of Revenue is the monsoonal zone to be shifting necessary action. responsible for general land-use (not expanding) more and more to - During the summer monsoon planning, there is a need to develop the west, by approximately 100km season, each province has a flood proper National Land-Use Plans to in the last 30 years. As a result, warning centre with staff from control land-uses; there is now a higher frequency of PMO, FFC and PDMA to monitor - Need for comprehensive policies more intensive rain and therefore rainfall and the risk of floods, and to and plans, more river discharge in the western coordinate any necessary response - Institutional strengthening river (i.e. Indus) as compared to sudden changes in the situation. and capacity building of flood to that in the eastern river (i.e.

38 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) Chenab and Jhelum). There is therefore a higher risk of floods in the western areas, e.g. Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa (KPK), SE Punjab and central Sindh, and these areas now require attention and support for water management and for flood mitigation. - Impact of climate change in the region - Intensity of rain in the region has increased while frequency of rainy spell has decreased; - Decreased water availability and water quality in many arid and semi- arid regions; - An increased risk of floods and droughts in the regions. - Mortality due to diarrhoea primarily associated with floods and droughts will rise; - Decreases in reliability of hydropower and biomass production; - Increased damages and deaths caused by extreme weather events; - Decreased agricultural crop production in South Asia could decrease by up to 30%; - Increasing temperatures will lead to faster melting of the Himalayan glaciers which in turn, is projected to increase flooding and will affect water resources within the next two to three decades. - Recommendations - Dams (large or small) should be build on priority basis to cope up climate change impacts on reservoirs; - Wet lands should be reassessed with respect to climate variability; - Needs to modify catchment areas of water reservoirs; - Efforts should be placed on climate change impact assessment and investments placed in communities for adaptation; - In the discussion, it was raised that although this RAM aims to look at how wetlands could be managed for the mitigation of floods, wetlands also a key role in water storage and so mitigate against periods of drought. This role of wetlands should also be considered by the RAM.

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 39 APPENDIX 3

Meeting at the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), WAPDA House, Lahore (Tuesday 30th October, 2012)

In attendance: member of the Mission and the to store water for use in winter RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, aims of the Mission. He explained and dams such as those at Tarbela IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – that there Pakistan had 19 Wetlands and Mangla serve this function. Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China of International Importance In addition, another 32 new dams Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao (Ramsar Sites) with four of these have been proposed with approx. Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF being located along the Indus River; eight per province. These will serve – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional - Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwer said to store monsoon water for i), flood Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar that WAPDA took a scientific mitigation ii), provide irrigation for Secretariat), approach to flood management, agriculture and iii), hydropower. WAPDA: Muhammad Imtiaz and knew when flood waters In constructing such dam, EIA are Tajwer (Secretary); Shahid Hamid were about to reach a particular always conducted and the positive (Director - SMD); Muhammad area. WAPDA adopts standard and negative impacts assessed. Saeed (Assistant Director - operating procedures (SOP) and - Inam Ullah Khan raised the issue Coordination); Syed Liaqat precautionary measures well of how to ensure environmental Ali (Director Administration - before the floods and was said flows after the construction of Sectt); Ishteqaq A. Kaokab (GM by the Judicial Tribunal in their the dams? This is always because Technical Environmental Service report on the 2010 floods, to have floods are important in flushing - Environment); Ahmed Sarwar ‘done their job’ unlike some other out the downstream wetlands Baig (Deputy Director – Projects); government agencies. He further and to deliver nutrient rich silt to Farhana Mazhar (Gender Specialist), stated that the 2010 floods were farmland. Shahid Hamid ( Small and medium a very infrequent event. WAPDA - He also enquired about WAPDA’s dams) manages and maintains many of approach to respond to gender Ministry of Climate Change: Umeed the water bodies in Pakistan, and issues during floods and post flood Khalid (Conservator Wildlife), knows how to resolve the various rehabilitation WWF – Pakistan: Ejaz Ahmad water issues. They are also aware - Whilst it was agreed that there (Senior Director), Masood that the monsoon is slowly drifting needs to be an integrated approach Arshad (Senior Manager); Rizwan westwards. to flood management in Pakistan Mahmood (Manager Disaster - Shahid Hamid mentioned that involving the relevant government Response); there were distinct differences in agencies, NGOs and well as others the river flow between summer, stakeholders, it seemed that there Summary of discussions with the which tends to be high due to snow needs to be more ground support Water and Power Development melt and monsoon rains, and winter to make this happen. Agency (WAPDA) when flows tends to be less. There - Umeed Khalid introduced the is therefore a need for reservoirs

40 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) APPENDIX 4

Meeting with Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), at PDMA Office, Lahore, Tuesday 30th October 2012

In attendance: had been issued; to see how to improve the RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, - PDMA also mentioned that there management of those sites so as IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – were problems with encroachments to increase the benefits that those Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China into the floodplain areas and it sites provided for the people living Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao was difficult to remove the people there. There could be opportunities Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF even if they knew that a flood was for restoration of the wetlands – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional imminent; so as to provide more food (e.g. Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar - In terms of flood preparedness fish) for local communities and so Secretariat), and coordination between improve their livelihood. PDMA PDMA: Capt. (Retd) Abdul Sattar government agencies during would welcome further discussions Isani (Director); Hameed Malik the monsoon season (June - with WWF on this as they can help (Provincial Coordinator) November), the NDMA would meet to develop livelihood initiatives. Ministry of Climate Change: Umeed every two weeks with a special Khalid (Conservator Wildlife), advisor to the Prime Minister to WWF – Pakistan: Ejaz Ahmad review and report on the situation. (Senior Director), Masood In addition, a special room is set Arshad (Senior Manager); Rizwan up inside the offices of the PDMA Mahmood (Manager Disaster during the monsoon season with Response); officers from the FFC, WAPDA and PMO to ensure that there is Summary of discussions with coordination and communication the Punjab Provincial Disaster over any possible threat from floods Management Authority (PDMA) and to develop responses to those threats; - After the RAM Team introduced - Inam Ullah Khan tried to explore if the aims of the Mission, Capt. Isani PDMA or the Provincial government described the work of the PDMA had any land use zoning and which was to provide mitigation, planning. preparedness and response to - After mentioning that there disaster and calamities whether were three Ramsar Sites in Punjab natural, man induced or accidents; Province (Uchhali Complex, - After the 2010 floods, Pak Rs. Chashma Barrage and Taunsa 20,000 was provided to each of the Barrage), PDMA said they would affected families and 622000 cards welcome cooperation with WWF

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 41 APPENDIX 5

Meeting with Punjab Provincial Wildlife and Forestry Department, at Poonch House, Lahore, Wednesday 31st October 2012

In attendance: Duck Dendrocygna javanica and the ponds whilst at Taunsa Barrage, RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, Indus River Dolphin Platanista Punjab FWD cooperates with the IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – minor. The island by Taunsa Irrigation Department; Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China Barrage supports a population of - However, Irrigation Department Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao Hog Deer Hyelaphus porcinus. can place restrictions on the Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF Smooth-coated Otters Lutrogale management activities at the – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional perspicillata occur at Taunsa ponds, including forbidding the Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar Barrage but are often killed by construction of further structures Secretariat), local when they are found because and settlements, when to drain Punjab FWD: Iftikhar Hussain Shah presumable, they are thought to be or flood the ponds etc. A total of (Director General), Shahid R. Awan competing with the fishermen for 11 sites were handed over to the (Deputy Secretary - Planning), fish; PPFWD; Muhammad Anwar Malik (Assistant - Chashma Barrage is under the - Despite the restriction on illegal Director - Planning), Muhammad responsibility of WAPDA whilst use of the area, influential people Naeem Bhatti (Deputy Director - Taunsa Barrage is under the are returning to the pond areas and Head Quarter); responsibility of the Irrigation encroaching into them; Ministry of Climate Change: Umeed Department; - In 2011, WWF and the Punjab Khalid (Conservator Wildlife); - The wildlife mainly use the ponds FWD constructed 8 mud check post WWF – Pakistan: Masood Arshad on either side of the Indus River at Taunsa Barrage and hired 14-15 (Senior Manager); Rizwan close to the barrages. The ponds are guards with motorbikes (funded by Mahmood (Manager Disaster owned by the Irrigation Department WWF) to stop encroachment into Response); and they used to issue temporary the area. An education centre at leases to the local people to use the site has been opened and WWF Summary of discussions with the ponds for agriculture. Two are now carrying out a number the Punjab Provincial Forestry years ago after the 2001 floods, the of projects at the site involving Department people who had illegally settled the local community. The site is a into the area were removed, and popular destination for visitors and - Regarding the Chashma and management of the ponds were students from surrounding areas, Taunsa Barrages, both are wildlife transferred to the Punjab Provincial such as Multan. sanctuaries, supporting many Forest and Wildlife Department. - Fishing is an important activity important species including - At Chashma Barrage, the Punjab at all three of the Ramsar Sites Marbled Teal Marmaronetta FWD is working closely with in Punjab. At Chashma Barrage, angustirostris, Lesser Whistling WAPDA over the management of the Fisheries Department has

42 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) established stations and the pond updating since the current RIS that areas are filled during floods for fish the Secretariat hold are from 1996, harvesting. and these RIS are supposed to be - In Punjab province, a well updated every six years; managed system of fishing seemed - The Punjab FWD were honest to have been established along and said that designation of the the Indus River. Fishing rights wetlands in the province as Ramsar are given to contractors who are Sites has not provided much benefit then responsible for fishing along to the sites so far. Funding support certain stretches of the river. The for the sites is required. contractor also ensures the proper management of the fishing and is responsible for any offenses that they or their workers may commit. The Punjab Fisheries Department will control the season when fishing can be conducted as well as the size of the fish that can be harvested. - In Sindh Province however, there is a permit system and individual can obtain a permit in the form of fishing cards for a relatively small amount (say Rs 50), which leads to many people trying to take fish from the river in an unmanaged way, e.g. poisoning. - The conservation of flooded forests is another issue along the Indus River. Large area have already been lost or affected through encroachment by people creating farmland, or they are in a poor condition because of a lack of water due to the construction of upstream dams/barrages restricting flow. Around 20-30 years ago, the water table was about 30 feet down but now, it is decreased t about 200 feet. Due to changes in the course of the Indus River, some of the flooded forests are far inland, up to 3-4 km. Some 18,000ha now remain and are in need of urgent protection. The Punjab FWD are trying to restore certain areas and have re-seeded around 7,500ha of land where the trees are now growing. In future, - The Punjab FWD suggested that in future, new channel should be provided to deliver water to the areas of flooded forests. - Punjab Province has a Wetland Policy which considers the management of both Chashma and Taunsa Barrages. The Ramsar Information Sheets (RIS) for all the Ramsar Sites in Punjab require

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 43 APPENDIX 6

Meeting with Punjab Provincial Irrigation Department, at Canal Bank, Lahore, Wednesday 31st October 2012

In attendance: that there should be hindrance to Discussions with WWF Pakistan: RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, the flow caused by the subsequent - The ponds at Taunsa Barrage IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – management of the ponds by the are deeper than that of the Indus Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China PPFWD; but between 2005 – 2010 they Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao - The ponds at Taunsa barrage have were illegally levelled by local Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF a size of 2 to 4 acres each. Wheat farmers backed by influential – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional and cotton are grown in these people. Levlling of the pond areas Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar ponds and rice is grown during the for agriculture has resulted in the Secretariat); monsoon season; elimination of natural depressions PPID: Nazir Ahmad Anjum (Chief - During the 2010 floods, there was making the ponds more shallow Engineer, Drainage & Floods), no damage to the Taunsa Barrage or hence resulting reducing the Safdar Ali Zafar (Director Floods); the bunds. However, the Irrigation natural storage capacity. These Ministry of Climate Change: Umeed Department is considering allowing ponds are now abandoned after the Khalid (Conservator Wildlife); a man-made breech on the right- 2010 floods. WWF – Pakistan: Masood Arshad side of the river under the railway - There are five ponds at Chashma (Senior Manager); Rizwan bridge in future if the floods waters Barrage which are managed by Mahmood (Manager Disaster are high. This would have the effect WAPDA. As WAPDA is ‘stronger;, Response); of allowing the flood water to enter they are able to control illegal an area of floodplain but the only encroachment as compared with Summary of discussions with problem is that the affected site is the situation at Taunsa Barrage. the Punjab Provincial Irrigation on private land and the government - The main species of plants in the Department: would have to compensate the riverine forests are Acacia nilotica, - Nazir Ahmad Anjum explained owner for their land being flooded Prosopis spicigera, Porosopis that there were 13 barrages in in emergencies. juliflora, Prosopis glandulosa, Punjab Province along the Indus - The Irrigation Department is Tamarix dioica, Desmastachya and that these were for diverting considering increasing the height bipinnala and Calotropis Procera. water to irrigate farmland; and width of the existing bunds at Of these, Acacia nilotica is said to - He stated that the ponds ( 2300 Taunsa. be the most valuable species and acres) at Taunsa Barrage were to - In March 2012, the Punjab is also dominant. It is succeeded by provide water to feed off-take Irrigation Department issued a Prosopis spicigera in the ecology canals for irrigation purposes and ‘Flood Fighting Plan’ in view of the of riverine vegetation (http://www. that confirmed that management of upcoming monsoon season. The sindhforests.gov.pk/resources. these ponds had been handed over Plan mainly focuses on the southern html) to the Punjab Province Forest and districts of the province that were Wildlife Department. He stressed affected by the floods in 2010;

44 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) APPENDIX 7

Meeting with Stakeholders at Lal Suhanra National Park, Bahawalpur, Thursday 1st November 2012

In attendance: Stakeholders at Lal Suhanra plantation (1/3 of the area) and RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, National Park: kept the remaining area (2/3 with IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – - Lal Sohanra was originally the natural vegetation); Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China hunting ground of the Nawab - LSNP receives its water from Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao of Bahawalpur and in 1968 was the Desert Branch canal and Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF declared a game reserve. In 1972, originally, the ponds in LSNP were – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional it was declared a national park and well supplied and the third pond Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar then a Biosphere Reserve in 1977. covering 4,780 acres (1934ha) Secretariat); The site is situated in the north- was good for fisheries and other Punjab Forest Department: Saadat western edge of the Cholistan wildlife. The revenue from the sale Ali Khan (Conservator Forests, Desert in Bahawalpur district, of the fish would go to the Forestry Administrator Lal Suhanra National Punjab Province; Department. Park); Fida Hussain; Muhammad - The site is very popular with - The amount of water promised Shahid Arbi (Stenographer); visitors and some 100,000 people to be given as donation to the park Muhammad Zafar (Accountant); came during the last Eid-holidays. has not been ensured and dimished Fazal ur Rehman These visitors come from as far as with the passage of time, thus Punjab Fisheries Department: 150km away. The CM of Punjab has resulted in degradation of habitat. Muhammad Arif Chughtai (Deputy declared that there would be no - However, the amount of water Director Fisheries, Bahawalpur); charge for entrance; received by the site has been Punjab Irrigation Department: - The land at Lal Suhnara was declining. One reason is that Muhammad Naeem (Executive established by a previous Nawab Tarbela Dam has been reducing the Engineer); Muhammad Zafar Iqbal of Bahawalpur who recognized the amount of water that it is providing (Chief Engineer) risk of less and less water flowing to all the canals that depends upon Ministry of Climate Change: Umeed from the Sutlej River in India to it and as a result, there is now not Khalid (Conservator Wildlife); Bahawalpur for drinking and enough water to supply the third WWF – Pakistan: Masood Arshad irrigation purposes. As a result, he ponds in LSNP (by about 60cm). (Senior Manager); Rizwan developed three large ponds for This problem is exacerbated by a Mahmood (Manager Disaster storing water in time of reduced decline in rainfall and from May Response); Mubashar Azam Rana flow. However, the ponds slowly – July 2012, there was a severe (Coordinator, TREC); silted up and as the flow declined, drought in the region. There are the Forest Department started currently no plans on how to deal Summary of discussions with using the fertile ponds for irrigated with future droughts and there are

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 45 no plans for using the third pond as conservation work at the site; a reservoir for storing excess water - In the discussion with the Pakistan for use in times of drought. Meteorological Office in Islamabad, - The LSNP could pay the Irrigation there was no discussion about how Department for the water to fill this the pattern and severity of drought third pond but the cost would be is changing in Pakistan. Is there some millions of Rupees annually. also a need for a Drought Disaster The last bill was at a cost of some Management Plan? 3.7 million Rupees. Instead, the Irrigation Department has said that they can provide the LSNP with surplus water for free. However, the question is not whether the LSNP have the money to pay for the water but whether the Irrigation Department has the water to supply LSNP. - The priority of the Irrigation Department is to provide water for irrigation and not for the third pond at LSNP. Farmers wanting water for irrigation have to pay but the amount is not high. - The Irrigation Department said that they do not irrigate new farmland but only old ones. However, the third pond at LSNP has been there for many decades already and so providing water to the pond cannot be considered as supplying water to a new area. - One option for the management of the third pond is for the Forestry Department to lease fishing rights out for the pond to private contractors, and the Irrigation Department then provide water to the site as it will then be for aquaculture. This would then be a win-win situation for the Forestry Department and the local people. The recent Punjab Provincial Forest Act allows for taking a PPP approach to managing forest lands. The floor of the pond could also be re-profiled to create areas of shallow and deep water so that there will also be some areas of water and refuge for fish; - Poaching is still a problem in the third pond and if not controlled, there would be no wildlife left. - When Mr. Nawaz Sharif was Prime Minister of Pakistan, he liked LSNP very much and often used to come and stay over. As his family established the Ittefaq Group of Industries which is a major steel producer in the country, he may be interesting in supporting the 46 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) APPENDIX 8

Meeting with Stakeholders at Guddu Barrage, Friday 2nd November 2012

In attendance: River system with three in Sindh and its waters. Instead, there are a RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, province, at Guddu, Sukkur and number of agencies each with their IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – Kotri; own role such as: Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China - The Indus River System Authority - The IRSA; Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao (IRSA) lies within the Ministry of - Provincial Irrigation Department; Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF Water and Power and was created - Federal Flood Commission; – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional in 1992. It works to implement the - National, and Provincial Disaster Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar Water Apportionment Accord (1991) Management Authority; Secretariat); by forecasting water availability - Environmental Protection Sindh Wildlife Department: Ghulam each year and then dividing the Agency; Muhammad Gadani (Deputy available waters of the Indus River - Provincial Fisheries Department; Conservator Wildlife), Hyder Raza to each of the provinces and to - In fact, the 1973 Constitution gave Khan smooth any disputes. The IRSA responsibility to the provinces for Sindh Irrigation Department: is made up of five members, one issues such as biodiversity, forestry Ferozuddin from each province and one from and fisheries, and it even gave Sindh Police: Manzoor Ahmed the Federal Government. The Chair them powers to enact their own (Station House Officer - SHO) is selected on a rotational basis provincial legislation and regulation Federal Flood Commission: Alamgir from the members. There are also on these issues, rather than rely on Khan (Chief Engineer - Floods), technical committees to provide the Federal Government. In July Ministry of Climate Change: advice to the IRSA; 2011, further powers were given Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani (Deputy - The IRSA can revise the proportion from the federal government to the Inspector General Forests), Umeed of water apportioned to each provinces - ‘devolution’; Khalid (Conservator Wildlife); province after consultation with the - In the case of international WWF – Pakistan: Masood Arshad Provincial Irrigation Departments. agreements such as the Ramsar (Senior Manager); Rizwan Usually, Punjab receives most of Convention, the provincial Mahmood (Manager Disaster the water, followed by Sindh, then government are responsible for Response); Mubashar Azam Rana Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and finally implementing the Convention (Coordinator, TREC); Balochistan; at the site level, under the - There does not appear to coordination of the Federal Summary of discussions with be a coordinating body with Government. Since 2011, there has Stakeholders at Guddu Barrage: responsibility for the overall been further devolution of power - There are 19 barrages in the Indus management of the Indus River from the federal to the provincial

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 47 level; not functioning. There is a famous floodplains before the time when - A consultancy study was fish in the Indus called ‘palo’ and the barrages were built and they conducted in 2004/05 to look at due to the barrages blocking their are used to floods which lasts 13- the issue of environmental flows in migration along the Indus, their 15 days. The population of these the Indus River and proposed that population has declined; people has increased and it is 10 million acre feet be allowed to - Riverine forests are unique for the difficult to remove them because flow annually to the Indus River area and there are some 120,000 of the floods due to the support Delta but this was not approved acres on the left bank and 200,000 they receive from politicians who by government and instead, an acres on the right bank between depend upon these people for their amount of 8.5 million acre feet was Guddu and Sakkur. Such forests votes. endorsed instead; can provide multiple benefits. - There are also problems with For example, those forests which structures hindering the flow of Hill torrents have been designated as Reserved flood water. These include illegal - Alamgir (FFC): said that there Forests are used by local people for private bunds and even bridges need to be more water storage timber, thatching etc. They can also that constrict the flow of the river. capacity to deal with future floods. play a role in flood storage. One such bridge is that spanning Hill torrents were an issue in - The area of such forests has been Larkana-Khairpur which was flood control and he suggested disturbed over the past decades mention in the Judicial Tribunal’s that secondary and tertiary rivers due to the presence of the barrages. report as one of the causes of should be managed for floods from During the 2010 floods, the water blockage of flood water. hill torrents. In the Dera Ghazi level stayed usually high for >25 Khan (DG Khan) and Dera Ismail days which killed many of the young Breach at Tori Bund Khan (DI Khan) regions, there trees; - In Sindh, there are usually two are opportunities to use natural lines of flood defences (bunds) floodplains to control hill torrents. Fishing alongside the Indus River and the There are also opportunities to - It was remarked that few boats, distance between these bunds is construct small dams, such as the including fishing boats could be not set; multi-purpose Gomal Zam Dam seen in the Indus River. This was - Due to the topography of the (completed in 2011) where the said to be due to the monsoon land when it floods in Punjab waters can be used for irrigation, season when the flood waters make Province, the water will flow back flood storage, wetland conservation fishing difficult. The fishermen are to the Indus but in Sindh, the water etc. Regarding the mainstream of supposed to return in winter when tends to stay on the flooded land; the Indus River, he added that the the flow decreases. In 1991, the law - The Tori Bund is one of the lines encroachment that were present on and order situation in the region of defence on the right side of the either side of the river downstream was bad and so at that time, many Indus River between Guddu and of Chashma Barrage needed to fishermen left the area as well; Sukkur Barrages and its breech in be removed in order to allow less - In recent years, Sindh has moved 2010, was one of the causes of the impediment to flood flow along this from a system of fishing by contract terrible damage from the severe stretch of the river; to a few fishermen who would floods that monsoon season. manage and be responsible for a Apparently since 1947, the Tori Wildlife along the Indus River stretch of river, to one with licenses Bund has been breeched some 21 - Ghulam Muhammad Gadani to many more people who can fish times in different years. The breech (Sindh Wildlife Department): where they like. The result is that in the bund has now been repaired reported that in a 2011 survey, 980 there is now much less control of and the bund strengthened with a Indus River Dolphins in 22 groups fishing and fishermen are often section that is ; were recorded between Guddu and using illegal methods to catch - Irrigation Department staff Sukkur Barrages. There has been as many fish as they can, e.g. by reported that they need a metalled an increasing trend in numbers using poison. In 2011, some 50 road on top of the bunds so that since the first survey in 2001, dolphins were found dead as their during floods, their staff can travel and then repeated surveys every carcasses are usually found washed quickly to sections of the bunds and 5-years. Conducting such surveys up by the lower barrage gates and carry out any urgent repair that is is expensive, with some Rp 200 are reported bz local people. The needed. He said that the local staff million required each time, Wildlife Department would like to of the Department’s can control the - Regarding the barrages as carry out autopsies on the carcasses flood waters but the main problem obstruction to the movement but do not have the equipment nor is that the ID needs to have the of the dolphins, there is talk of the expertise; power they once had, to control constructing dolphin corridors illegal structures, disturbances\ through the barrages but nothing Obstructions to flow breakage of the bunds etc. There has been done yet. There are - People have been living in the are law and order issues at the sites however fish ladders but they are 48 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) with the local people and there needs to be cooperation between the Forestrz Department, Irrigation Department etc to control illegal activities as before; - In this area, the floods had relatively little impact on peoples’ lives becuase there exists a good earlz warning system so that the people could escape before floods occured. Problem is mainly with the hill torrents (see above); - When the land outside the bunds are leased to the influential landowners for farming, they are supposed to plant flooded forests on 25% of the land and to farm on the remaining 75%. The forests are idealz meant to be planted parallel to the bunds to serve as some kind of protection against floods but this is not happening;

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 49 APPENDIX 9

Meeting with Stakeholders at Dolphin Information Centre, Sukkur Barrage, Saturday 3rd November 2012

In attendance: Summary of discussions with conservation and another for RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, Stakeholders at Dolphin fisheries because the dolphins IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – Information Centre: move from one area to another. Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China However, fishing is not prohibited Academy of Sciences), Xinqiao Indus River Dolphins close to the barrages; Zhang (Programme Officer, WWF - The first survey for the Indus - Other wildlife in the Ramsar Site – China), Lew Young (Sr. Regional River Dolphin in 1972 recorded 387 include Hog Deer, wild boar, and Advisor Asia/Oceania, Ramsar individuals from Guddur to Sukkur. Grey and Black Partridges; Secretariat), Then more recently in 2011, 918 - WWF Pakistan has drawn up a Federal Flood Commission: Alamgir were recorded from the same management plan for the Ramsar Khan (Chief Engineer, Floods) stretch of river, with another 29 Site. Ministry of Climate Change: from Sukkur to Kotri. Surveys are Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani (Deputy conducted every 5 years; Fisheries Inspector General Forests), Umeed - Between 1995 and 2012, the - The Fisheries Department Khalid (Conservator Wildlife), Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) explained that there used to Sindh Fisheries Department: and WWF rescued 71 dolphins be a contract system to control Manzoor Ahmed Soomro (Assistant but another 83 were found dead, fishing in the Indus River but the Director Fisheries), Ghulam Mustafa washed up by Sukkur Barrage. system has been changed to that Gopang (Deputy Director Fisheries), The SWD would like to have the of a license system now to try and Sindh Forest Department: Rafique capacity to conduct autopsies on benefit the poorer section of the Ahmed Malik, Aisha Channa (S.O.), the carcasses of the dead dolphins community; Maqsood Ahmed, Javed Ahmed to find out the cause of death; - There are now some 2,000 to Mahar - There was a sudden increase 4,000 fishermen who are charged Sindh Wildlife Department: Hussain in the number of dolphins found a nominal rate of some 100-150 Bux Bhaggat (Chief Conservator dead in 2011 (45 individuals), and Rp per year for the license with Wildlife), Ghulam Muhammad a further 15 individuals from Jan – no limit on the catch. As a result, Gadani (Deputy Conservator May 2012 alone. This is blamed on fishermen try to get as much fish as Wildlife) the new system of issuing permits they can. AS the system is poorly WWF – Pakistan: Dr. Masood to the local community to fish in the controlled, some fishermen resort Arshad (Senior Manager), Rizwan Indus River; to using poison which may also Mahmood (Manager Disaster - The Indus Dolphin Reserve kill the dolphins. If offenders are Response) is not zoned into one area for caught, then they are only fined a 50 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) small fee; forests include the fact that the lake and use it for storage of flood - The city of Sukkur use water from land on which many of the forest waters and to benefit the local the river for household use so if is growing is becoming dry due to communities. people are using poison to fish, then reduced river flow. There are also it will affect peoples’ health as well; problems with laws and order, with Environmental flows - The Fisheries Department also illegal cutting of the trees for timber - The SWD complained that more encourage pond fish farming. and firewood, and to free up land water should be retained in the Some of the ponds belong to for grazing and other uses; Indus River and allowed to flow the government and others are - The 2010 flood damaged the 3 to the delta to save the mangrove privately owned. Fish in the pond year old crop of trees since the trees forests. Upstream barrages are include Chinese and Indian Carps, were submerged for >25 days; taking most of the freshwater and Silver Carp, Grass Carp, and - Suggested steps to be taken the government now have plans Bighead. include: to build more small dams in the - There appears to be some dispute - Enforcement of legislation; tributaries of the Indus to hold over the granting of land to people - Establish new Forest Courts monsoon rains. for fish culture as the Forestry to deal with forestry offences Department also licenses out since existing courts cannot deal land from their forest land for fish effectively with cases quickly and culture. There is a need for clearer efficiently; mapping of the land to clarify that - Re-connect the forest and water which is under the responsibility of sources to establish the normal different government departments, flooding regime; and that is owned either by the - A Sindh Wildlife Act is in the government or privately; process of being approved and which should be able to resolve Flooded forests these problems; - Flooded forests grow in narrow - The Irrigation Department belts along the banks of Indus River has an operation manual for and its tributaries. They are more embankments which used to state commonly found in Sindh and to that trees should be planted within some extent in the Punjab. The 500m alongside the base of the common species are Babul Acacia embankments to protect them nilotica, Shisham Dalbergia sissoo during times of flood. However, this and Tamarax dioica. Other species is under the responsibility of the include Khejri Prosopis cineraria and Irrigation Department and not the Populus euphratica are some other Forestry Department; species; - The person holding the lease - The Forest Department has a to the land by the side of the programme to restore the flooded embankment should be responsible forests. The seeds of the Acacia for planting the trees but this is nilotica need to pass through the not being done and the rule is not stomach of animals before they being enforced. The lack of interest can germinate well. As a result the in planting is despite there being seeds are first fed to goats before incentives such as the owner can being recovered in the faeces. receive 50% of the profits from the Then as the flood waters begin to sale of the timber but people are recedes (June to August), the seeds not interested in long-term profits, are sown directly into the shallow and so use the land for agriculture water. After the water waters instead, e.g. wheat. have receded completely and the ground is exposed, then the young Embankments regenerating trees can be seen; - The Tori Bund has been breached - When the trees are 6-7 years old, before. Near to the breach site the forest can be thinned and some along the bund used to be a lake cut to be sold for making pit props (Rup Lake?) that was used for (e.g. in Balochistan). When the fisheries. However, the lake is now crop reaches 16-17 years, then it is silted up with mud that was brought mature enough to be sold, mainly in from each breach of the bund. for lumber; It could be possible to restore the - Challenges faced by flooded Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 51 APPENDIX 10

De-briefing Session with Stakeholders at Hotel Sunfort, Lahore, Monday 5th November 2012

In attendance: (Additional Deputy Director), now; RAM Team: Inam Ullah Khan (Head, Ishteqaq A. Kaokab (Director - - The restoration of flooded forests IUCN KPK Programme, IUCN – Environment), Ahmad Ameen should be considered as part of Pakistan), Zhang Chen (China WWF – Pakistan: Ali Hassan Habib the programme to restore the Academy of Sciences), Lew Young (Director General), Ali Hasnain Syed floodplains along the Indus River (Sr. Regional Advisor Asia/Oceania, (Manager Freshwater Policy), Dr. for flood control; Ramsar Secretariat), Masood Arshad (Senior Manager), - The final report should consider Federal Flood Commission: Alamgir Rizwan Mahmood (Manager the economic valuation of Khan (Chief Engineer, Floods) Disaster Response), Najam ul Huda natural floodplains and the Punjab Irrigation Department: Nazir Khan (Manager Capacity Building), provision of alternative livelihood Ahmad Anjum (Chief Engineer, M. Jamshad I. Chaudhry (Research for local people as part of any Drainage & Floods), Safdar Ali Zafar Officer), recommendations; (Director Floods) Media: Nisar Ahmed Sani - When the RAM Team suggested Punjab Wildlife Department: Iftikhar (Coordinator - Punjab PDMA), Rafi that some of the areas of restored Hussain Shah (Director General), Jamal (Programmer - Sama TV), wetlands could be used for Muhammad Naeem Bhatti Malik Arshad Asim (Waqat News) fisheries, it should be remembered (Deputy Director - Head Quarter), that the people along the Indus do Muhammad Anwar Malik (Assistant Summary of de-briefing session not have a tradition of aquaculture Director - Planning) with stakeholders: and so any recommendations need Ministry of Climate Change: After the presentation from the to be adapted to suite the local Syed Masood Nasir (Inspector RAM Team on the preliminary situation; General Forests), Umeed Khalid results of the mission, participants - It was suggested that any (Conservator Wildlife), at the de-briefing session were then revenue from the use of the Indus National Disaster Management invited to provide comments or River and the floodplains should Authority: Syed Sibt-e-Abbas Zaidi to ask question. These comments be used for the conservation of the (Director) included that: site; Pakistan Metrological Department: - Before new techniques are - The report of the IPCC 4th Khalid Malik (Director) suggested for flood control, there Assessment Report should be Sindh Wildlife Department: should be documentation of the considered, especially the impacts Mushtaq Ali Memon (Secretary) traditional knowledge on flood from the excessive melting of the WAPDA: Mushtaq Ahmad (Chief management/use to see if those glaciers which would reduce the Engineer), Rana A. Dastgir techniques are still appropriate amount of snow melt in the Indus 52 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) and thus affecting the total amount of flow in the river. - The westward movement of the monsoon rains by 50 – 80km as monitored by the PMO should be considered in the report; - Capacity building opportunities should be provided to the younger officers on the importance of floodplains. Materials on this subject should also be provided for communication purposes to key stakeholders (e.g. land-owners, religious leaders, media etc.); - A National Water Policy for Pakistan is being prepared and that would be an opportunity for including the concept of IRBM; - There was some discussion about where funds could be made available to implement the recommendations from the RAM report with some suggesting opportunities such as receiving support from the ‘Climate Change Adaptation Fund’. However, there were some arguments that ‘we should first go into a learning phase via a pilot project rather than enter straight into a multi-million dollars project’; - Other issues the RAM report should consider are: pollution in the Indus River, more efficient irrigation methods, price differentials for water, rescue of wildlife during floods; - A working group should be established to follow up on the recommendations in the report from the RAM;

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 53 APPENDIX 11

DE-BRIEFING SESSION WITH STAKEHOLDERS AT HOTEL SUNFORT, LAHORE, MONDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2012

Name Designation/Organization Contact

Ramsar Advisory Mission Team

Mr. Inam Ullah Khan Head, IUCN KPK Programme, – IUCN +92 345 2004141 Pakistan [email protected] Dr. Xinqiao Zhang Programme Officer, – WWF China [email protected]

Dr. Zhang Chen China Academy of Sciences [email protected]

Dr. Lew Young Sr. Regional Advisor for -­‐ Asia +41 79 290 2625 Oceania, Ramsar Secretariat [email protected] Federal Flood Commission (FFC)

Mr. Alamgir Khan Chief Engineer (Floods) +92 51 924 4613

Fisheries Department, Punjab

Mr. Muhammad Arif Chughtai Deputy Director Fisheries, Bahawalpur +92 82 925 5178 +92 332 778 7986 Fisheries Department, Sindh

Mr. Manzoor Ahmed Soomro Assistant Director Fisheries +92 300 314 2962

Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Gopang Deputy Director Fisheries +92 300 315 5854

Forest Department, Punjab

Mr. Fida Hussain +92 343 214 9247

Mr. Saadat Ali Khan Conservator Forests, Administrator Lal +92 300 522 7702 Suhanra National Park Mr. Muhammad Shahid Arbi Stenographer +92 333 635 0798

Mr. Muhammad Zafar Accountant +92 345 727 6910

Dr. Fazal ur Rehman +92 300 733 7363

Forest Department, Sindh

Mr. Hyder Raza Khan +92 300 707 7736

Mr. Rafique Ahmed Malik +92 333 711 3458

Ms. Aisha Channa S.O +92 336 201 0534

Mr. Maqsood Ahmed +92 300 313 8959

Mr. Javed Ahmed Mahar +92 300 931 4263

Irrigation Department, Punjab

Mr. Nzir Ahmad Anjum Chief Engineer, Drainage & Floods +92 42 9926 0302

Mr. Safdar Ali Zafar Director Floods +92 307 606 6330

Mr. Muhammad Naeem Executive Engineer +92 82 925 0271 +92 345 802 2884 54 | Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) Name Designation/Organization Contact

Mr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Chief Engineer +92 300 945 4651

Irrigation Department, Sindh

Mr. Abdul Qadir Palijo Chief Engineer +92 300 825 8597 [email protected] Mr. Ferozuddin +92 300 314 1331

Ministry of Climate Change

Mr. Mehmood Alam Secretary +92 333 515 5041

Mr. Syed Mahmood Nasir Inspector General Forests +92 51 924 5589 [email protected] Mr. Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani Deputy Inspector General Forests +92 321 5259339 [email protected] Mr. Umeed id Khal Conservator Wildlife +92 333 517 2704 [email protected] National/Provincial Disaster Management Authority

Mr. Muhammad Idrees Mahsud Director, NDMA +92 331 566 3237 [email protected] Mr. Syed Sibt-­‐e-­‐Abbas Zaidi Director +92 332 514 1946

Capt. (Retd) Abdul Sattar Isani Director, Punjab PDMA +92 42 9920 4403 [email protected] Mr. Hameed Malik Provincial Coordinator, Punjab PDMA [email protected]

Pakistan Metrological Department

Dr. Khalid Malik Director +92 308 555 3300

Police Department, Sindh

Mr. Manzoor Ahmed Station House Officer (SHO) +92 300 2696 373

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA)

Mr. Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwer Secretary

Mr. Shahid Hamid Director (SMD)

Mr. Ishteqaq A. Kaokab Director (Environment), WAPDA +92 301 571 0104 Environmental Cell Mr. Muhammad Saeed Assistant Director (Coordination)

Mr. Syed Liaqat Ali Director (Sectt)

Engr. Ahmed Sarwar Baig Deputy Director (Projects)

Mr. Ishteqaq A. Kaokab Director (Environment) +92 301 571 0104

Ms. Farhana Mazhar Gender Specialist

Report of RAM to the Indus River, Pakistan (RAM 431) | 55 Name Designation/Organization Contact

Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Chief Engineer +92 301 430 9468

Mr. Rana A. Dastgir Additional Deputy Director, WAPDA +92 42 9920 2429 Environment Cell Mr. Ahmad Ameen WAPDA Environmental Cell +92 321 467 8088

Wildlife Department, Punjab

Mr. Iftikhar Hussain Shah Director General +92 301 845 7978

Mr. Shahid R. Awan Deputy Secretary (Planning) +92 333 840 5000

Mr. Muhammad Anwar Malik Assistant Director (Planning) +92 305 501 0141

Mr. Muhammad Naeem Bhatti Deputy Director (Head Quarter) +92 333 436 2643

Wildlife Department, Sindh

Mr. Mushtaq Ali Memon Secretary +92 21 9920 3105

Mr. Hussain Bux Bhaggat Chief Conservator Wildlife +92 21 9920 -­‐ 5951 2

Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Gadani Deputy Conservator Wildlife +92 322 920 6666

WWF Pakistan

Mr. Ali Hassan Habib Director General +92 42 111 993 725

Dr. Ejaz Ahmad Senior Director [email protected]

Dr. Ghulam Akbar Senior Director Programmes [email protected]

Mr. Rizwan Mahmood Manager Disaster Response +92 300 942 5080 [email protected] Dr. Masood Arshad Senior Manager [email protected]

Mr. Mubashar Azam Rana Coordinator, TREC +92 300 433 4383

Mr. Ali Hasnain Syed Manager Freshwater Policy +92 300 842 4374 [email protected] Mr. Najam ul Huda Khan Manager Capacity Building +92 300 555 6704

Mr. M. Jamshad I. Chaudhry Research Officer +92 300 638 7548

Media

Mr. Nisar Ahmed Sani Coordinator, Punjab PDMA +92 343 920 9201

Mr. Rafi Jamal Programmer, Sama TV +92 300 455 4215

Mr. Malik Arshad Asim Waqat News +92 300 441 3079

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Why we are here:

To stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. www.wwfpak.org [email protected]