Initial Environmental Examination July 2019 Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Greater Mekong Subregion East-West Economic Corridor Agriculture Infrastructure Sector Project Prepared by the Department of Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Asian Development Bank. This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area ANNEX 6 Initial Environmental Examination Agriculture Infrastructure Sector Project Annex 6 Feasibility Study Kan-Tha-Chane Subproject Initial Environmental Examination ACRONYMS ADB - Asian Development Bank AISP - Agriculture Infrastructure Sector Project ASEAN - Association of South East Asian Nations m3/sec - cubic meters per second DAFO - District Agriculture and Forestry Office DCO - District Coordination Office DOI - Department of Irrigation EA - Executing Agency EDL - Electricité du Laos EMP - Environmental Management Plan EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMP - Environmental Management Plan EPL - Environmental Protection Law FHH - Female Head Household GMS-EWEC-AISP - Greater Mekong Sub-region East West Economic Corridor Agricultural Infrastructure Sector Project IA - Implementing Agency IEE - Initial Environmental Examination Lao PDR - Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic MASL - meters above mean sea level MoNRE - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment NGO - Non-Government Organization NPMO - National Project Management Office NSEDP - National Social and Economic Development Plan O&M - Operation and Maintenance PAFO - Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry PoNRE - Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment PPMO - Provincial National Project Management Office PPTA - Project Preparation Technical Assistance RC - reinforced concrete SEDP - Socio-economic Development Plan 2010-2015 USD - United States Dollars UXO - Unexploded Ordnance WUG - Water User Group Agriculture Infrastructure Sector Project Annex 6 Feasibility Study Kan-Tha-Chane Subproject Initial Environmental Examination EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The Greater Mekong Sub-region East West Economic Corridor Agricultural Infrastructure Sector Project (GMS-EWEC-AISP, or AISP in this document) will comprise improvements to productive rural infrastructure (PRI) and provide technical and advisory support to beneficiary communities in formation and strengthening of water user groups, technical support and capacity building for extension services and support in post-harvest handling, product storage and marketing. It will provide project management support and capacity building for provincial and district level offices which will take a lead role in project implementation, in accordance with the Government’s decentralization policy of 2000. It is a sector project, and specific subprojects for the improvement of productive rural infrastructure in the two project provinces will be prepared and implemented. 2. An Environment Assessment and Review Framework (EARF)1 was prepared for the project setting out the procedures for screening and assessment of environmental impacts, reporting and management for subprojects in line with Government of Lao PDR (EIA Decree 2010) and ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) requirements. 3. Investment projects are categorized according to a schedule in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) decree. For small-scale irrigation, those with a command area of between 100 and 2,000ha are category 1 requiring an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) in accordance with Lao PDR and Kan-Tha-Chane would have a command area of 350ha, category 1 (Lao PDR). 4. The Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) checklist from the Project (EARF) was used to screen the subproject based on a literature review, site visits and discussion with local beneficiaries. This subproject was classified as Environment Category B, ADB. This document is the IEE and EMP for the Kan-Tha-Chane agriculture infrastructure subproject, which involves irrigation scheme rehabilitation. The IEE is prepared according to the ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement of June 2009 and the Lao PDR EIA decree of April 2010. This IEE document was prepared in November 2016 and was subsequently up dated in May 2018 in response to series of ADB comments. The IEE is an integral part of the subproject Feasibility Study. Based on the detailed engineering design, the irrigated area for Khan-Tha-Chane I was increased from 300 ha at the concept engineering design (CED) to 380 ha, and the irrigated area of Khan-Tha-Chane II was increased from 46.7ha at the CED stage to 76.1ha for the DED. A check of the DED maps shows the increased areas are existing paddy or brush from areas that were agricultural lands but had fallen into disuse. The two schemes draw water from the Mekong River so water supply is not an issue. The IEE has been updated to reflect the increased irrigated area. No changes to the environmental management plan are required. Figures A6.6 and A6.7 have been updated to show the detailed design layout. Key Updates to IEE on following of Detailed Engineering Design Irrigated command The irrigated area for Khan-Tha-Chane I was increased from 300 ha at the areas increased concept engineering design (CED) to 380 ha, and the irrigated area of Khan-Tha-Chane II was increased from 46.7ha at the CED stage to 76.1ha for the DED. A check of the DED maps shows the increased areas are existing paddy or brush from areas that were agricultural lands but had fallen into disuse. The two schemes draw water from the Mekong River so water supply is not an issue. The IEE has been updated to reflect the increased irrigated area. No changes to the environmental management 1 https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/gms-ewec-agriculture-infrastructure-sector-project-earf i Agriculture Infrastructure Sector Project Annex 6 Feasibility Study Kan-Tha-Chane Subproject Initial Environmental Examination plan are required. Figures A6.6 and A6.7 have been updated to show the detailed design layout. Description of the Subproject 5. The Project is located in Xaiphouthong district of Savannakhet Province and was originally constructed in 1973. It is a pumped scheme extracting water from the Mekong River. The total existing irrigable area (command area) in Kan-Tha-Chane village is in the order of 120ha. Improvements are to include an extension of 260ha. Based on the detailed engineering design, the improved scheme is designed to have a command area of 380 ha, yielding a dry season crop. A second separate irrigation system, Kan-Tha-Chane II, located on Don-Tham- Ngeun island in the Mekong, would be rehabilitated increasing the present irrigated area from 15ha to 76.1ha. Present Condition and Characteristics of the Subproject 6. The existing scheme has deteriorated and suffers from inadequate Operation and Maintenance (O&M). The scheme is laid out in a ‘herringbone’ formation with a central main canal running along the spine serving a series of secondary canals. Water is delivered via a conventional two electrically powered inclined mixed flow pump sets that were installed in 1987. 7. Water is pumped into a stilling basin from where it discharges by gravity into the lined main canal. Flow is then distributed by gravity through a set of secondary canals. The estimated total length of main, secondary and tertiary canals is 556.27m, 2,857.4m, and 5,340.35m respectively. Flows in the canals are unregulated and the scheme is free-running apart from where temporary measures are used to route flows into specific farm units from some secondary canals. There is a natural collector stream that serves as the scheme drain. The field survey indicates that the drain does not require rehabilitation as part of the improvement works. 8. The access road from Kan-Tha-Chane village to headworks is gravel paved road with the width of 6m. Originally built by villagers it is partially deteriorated. Improvements 9. The existing system was thought inappropriate and inefficient to irrigate the present command area and the proposed expanded area. 10. Scheme rehabilitation would follow the original irrigation canal layout constructed by the PAFO (main) and farmers (secondary and tertiary canals). The improvement would include the replacement of pumps, provision of concrete lining for main, secondary and tertiary canals, the construction of new canals with related water control structures. Existing structures would be repaired and where this is not possible, or they need relocating, new ones would be built. The Khan-Tha-Chane I scheme comprises 1 main canal with 1,340m; three secondary canal canals (2,005m), and 12 tertiary canals (7,185m), and 25 farm canals (7,152m). There are a total of 131 structures comprising a stilling basin (1); improved diversion boxes (5); turnouts/off-take structures (5); walkway/farm bridges ((9); farm turnouts (65); end structures (12); drainage culverts (1); drops (32); and siphons (1). The Khan-Tha-Chane II scheme comprises 1 main canal with 875m; and 3 tertiary canals (1,900m). There are a total 29 structures comprising a stilling basin (1); improved diversion boxes (2); walkway/farm bridges ((6); farm turnouts (17); end structures (3); road crossings (3); drainage culverts (3); and drops (1). ii Agriculture Infrastructure Sector Project Annex 6 Feasibility Study Kan-Tha-Chane Subproject Initial Environmental Examination 11. The works also include the replacement of the pump equipment, which would be connected to the national power grid. Three (3) mixed flow inclined pumps with motors would be installed. Irrigation service roads would be built along the main, secondary and tertiary canals and to the headworks from Kan-Tha-Chane village to facilitate operation and maintenance. 12. The continuity of the natural the drainage network within the command area would be maintained with the provision of culverts.