BASIN PROFILE OF THE NAM THEUN/NAM KADING, NAM HINBOUN AND XE BANG FAI IN LAO PDR MK3 Optimising cascades October 2013 of hydropower Khamfeuane Sioudom BASIN PROFILE Author Khamfeuane Sioudom Produced by Mekong Challenge Program for Water & Food Project 3 – Optimising cascades of hydropower for multiple use Led by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management Suggested citation Sioudom, K. 2013. Basin Profile for the Nam Theun/Nam Kading, Nam Hinboun and Xe Bang Fai, Lao PDR. Project report: Challenge Program on Water & Food Mekong project MK3 “Optimizing the management of a cascade of reservoirs at the catchment level”. ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management, Hanoi Vietnam, 2013 More information www.optimisingcascades.org | www.icem.com.au Image Cover image: Nam Theun river downstream of the Nakai dam (Nam Theun 2) (Photo Peter-John Meynell). Inside page: Downstream of the Nam Ngouang dam (still under construction) (Photo Peter-John Meynell). Project Team Peter-John Meynell (Team Leader), Jeremy Carew-Reid, Peter Ward, Tarek Ketelsen, Matti Kummu, Timo Räsänen, Marko Keskinen, Eric Baran, Olivier Joffre, Simon Tilleard, Vikas Godara, Luke Taylor, Truong Hong, Tranh Thi Minh Hue, Paradis Someth, Chantha Sochiva, Khamfeuane Sioudom, Mai Ky Vinh, Tran Thanh Cong Copyright 2013 ICEM - International Centre for Environmental Management 6A Lane 49, Tô Ngoc Vân| Tay Ho, HA NOI | Socialist Republic of Viet Nam i MEKONG CPWF| Optimising cascades of hydropower (MK3) Basin Profile of the Nam Thuen-Nam Kading in Lao PDR TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................... 4 2 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 5 3 BOUNDARIES OF THE BASIN .................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Nam Theun/Nam Kading ............................................................................................................................ 9 3.2 Nam Hinboun ............................................................................................................................................. 9 3.3 Xe Bang Fai ................................................................................................................................................. 9 4 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................. 10 4.1 Topography and geology .......................................................................................................................... 10 4.1.1 Nam Theun/Nam Kading .................................................................................................................... 12 4.1.2 Nam Hinboun ...................................................................................................................................... 12 4.1.3 Nam Gnouang Reservoir and Dam site ............................................................................................... 12 4.2 Soil ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 4.3 Seismicity ................................................................................................................................................. 13 4.4 Climate ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 4.4.1 Temperature ....................................................................................................................................... 14 4.4.2 Rainfall ................................................................................................................................................ 14 4.4.3 Evaporation ......................................................................................................................................... 15 4.5 Hydrology ................................................................................................................................................. 15 4.5.1 Nam Hinboun/Nam Hai ...................................................................................................................... 17 4.6 River geomorphology and drainage network .......................................................................................... 19 4.7 Water Quality ........................................................................................................................................... 20 4.7.1 Sub Basin Characteristics .................................................................................................................... 20 4.7.2 Heavy metals ...................................................................................................................................... 22 4.7.3 Oxygen Status ..................................................................................................................................... 22 4.7.4 Stratification ....................................................................................................................................... 23 5 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................. 23 5.1 Terrestrial habitats, land use and vegetation cover ................................................................................ 23 5.1.1 Nam Gnouang catchment ................................................................................................................... 23 5.2 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.1 Regional Status ................................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.2 Nam Gnouang catchment ................................................................................................................... 26 5.2.3 Nam Hai and Nam Hinboun Catchment ............................................................................................. 27 5.3 Aquatic Ecology ........................................................................................................................................ 27 5.3.1 River Ecology ....................................................................................................................................... 27 5.3.2 Aquatic Biodiversity ............................................................................................................................ 29 5.3.3 Fish Production ................................................................................................................................... 30 6 LAND COVER AND LAND USE ................................................................................................................. 32 6.1 Land cover related to agricultural activities ............................................................................................. 33 6.2 Forest ....................................................................................................................................................... 33 6.3 Agriculture................................................................................................................................................ 35 6.4 Protected areas ........................................................................................................................................ 36 6.4.1 National protected areas .................................................................................................................... 36 6.4.2 Provincial protected areas .................................................................................................................. 36 6.4.3 Saola Management Area .................................................................................................................... 37 6.4.4 Urbanisation ....................................................................................................................................... 39 7 INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................. 39 7.1 Road network and transport .................................................................................................................... 39 7.2 Energy and hydropower ........................................................................................................................... 40 2 MEKONG CPWF| Optimising cascades of hydropower (MK3) Basin Profile of the Nam Thuen-Nam Kading in Lao PDR 7.2.1 Hydropower infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 40 8 SOCIAL ECONOMIC PROFILES ................................................................................................................ 43 8.1 Administrative boundaries ....................................................................................................................... 43 8.2 Population ...............................................................................................................................................