IWRM in international river basins : hydropower dams and transboundary water conflicts in the Lower Salween river basin

Sharing a river's potential in terms of hydropower is a common way in transboundary river basins, especially in regions with rising energy demands. However, new strategies in river and basin management are necessary to sustainably benefit from water resources. Implementing IWRM concepts in the national policy is a standard process; the challenges are internationally shared basins. This study investigates the Salween River Basin in South East Asia, a transboundary basin shared by China, Burma and Thailand. The respective governments developed plans to use the Salween's hydropower potential and construct a dam cascade in the downstream part of the river. However, all three countries have different interests and IWRM implementation statuses in the projects due to different backgrounds and national developments. A status analysis of the basin concluded that China has mainly unilateral interests in the hydropower projects and no IWRM experience. Burma is still involved in its civil war and is in the early stages of IWRM. Thailand is actively involved in the transboundary organization of the Mekong River Commission, has integrated IWRM in its own policy and could serve as a leader in the basin. However, at this point, there is no basin-wide agreement over water resources in the Salween and the hydropower projects are the only existing cooperation plans between the riparian countries. Other transboundary agreements might be possible if certain steps and developments towards IWRM will be fulfilled