Corps of Engineers hosts the “2019 Mekong-Mississippi River Commission Exchange” in the U.S.

Photo By Ana Allen | NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Aug. 19, 2019) – Members of the Mekong River Commission visited the U.S., along with members of Mississippi River Commission to share best practices in river and water management. The delegates learned about the intricate coordination required to divert floodwaters upstream, as well as the challenge of weighing priorities against property damage, economic impact, and environmental changes. (courtesy photo: New Orleans District, Public Affairs)  

NEW ORLEANS, LA, UNITED STATES

08.24.2019

Story by Ana Allen and Evan Ting

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pacific Ocean Division

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Aug. 24, 2019) – Delegates from Mekong countries visited the U.S. to share best practices in river and water management during one of the longest and wettest flood fighting seasons the nation has experienced in 124 years. Currently, Laos and Thailand are facing their own devastating events. With flooding having no national boundaries, country leads agreed to work collectively to collaborate on tackling similar challenges through a formal partnership program.

Originally established in 2010, the “Sister Rivers Partnership” between the Mekong River Commission and Mississippi River Commission was formed and provides a venue to conduct annual reciprocal exchanges that promote water resources management with an emphasis on governance and transboundary water challenges. The U.S. Department of State considers this partnership a flagship initiative.

The exchange included site visits to flood control projects in New Orleans, Louisiana, which were developed post Hurricane Katrina, followed by a visit to the Corps’ Engineer Research & Development Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi to see emerging technologies and modeling labs. The delegation then witnessed public hearings along the Mississippi River, seeing firsthand how the U.S. government communicates with the public to address contentious water issues. The visit culminated with a tour of the Bonneville Lock and Dam in Portland, Oregon where the delegation observed environmental features, such as fish passageways for migration and state of the art fish friendly turbines, modeled in the Corps’ labs and put to operation at Bonneville.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Ticker, commanding general of the Pacific Ocean Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), commented on the strategic importance of the partnership. “Water is a universal concern, and all the more so in the Indo-Pacific region, where over half of the world population resides. This partnership is one way we can enhance stability in the region. There are many similarities between the Mekong River and Mississippi River systems and so it’s been an honor to continue to collaborate,” Tickner said.

Tickner also said that, during this iteration, USACE showcased multiple systems and structures built along the Mississippi River, which allow the U.S. to balance navigation, hydropower, flood risk management, and the environment.

“This was a priceless opportunity to show our Indo-Pacific allies and partners how USACE reduces risk to the nation from short and long-term water-related disasters. Right now, the Corps is integrating various capabilities, in order to manage a nearly year-long flood fight, during the highest season of rainfall on record in the U.S. The delegation got a chance to see firsthand the critical innovations and features that keeps at-risk states from being inundated with rainwater right now, as well as proposed plans that offer protection well into the future,” Tickner said.

According to the Krungthep Turakij, a Thai newspaper, Dr. Somkiat Prajamwong, Secretary General of the Office of National Water Resources and Chairman of the Thai National Mekong Committee said the group may consider adapting certain flood prevention and mitigation technologies they witnessed within the Mekong. “Next year, Thailand will chair the MRC, so we are seeking to cooperate with the U.S. in the use of sophisticated technology that takes into consideration social and environmental sustainability,” said Somkiat.

Dr. Thim Ly, Chief River Basin Planner, Mekong River Commission Secretariat, who traveled from Vientiane, Laos shared a highlight from his visit. “It is a great opportunity for me to visit the Engineering Research & Development Center. There are a lot of knowledge and practices that we can apply in the Mekong regions, for example, technology for fish passage, sediment transports and navigations,” Ly said.

As part of the visit, USACE Northwestern Division and Portland District also hosted the delegation, where the Columbia River Treaty was discussed.

Evan Ting, Pacific Ocean Division chief of International Cooperation, led the planning effort for this exchange and highlighted the importance of the water treaty discussion. “The U.S. has longstanding trans-boundary water agreements, with Canada and Mexico. Our experts were able to share some of these, along with the operating rules and consultative processes of the Columbia River Treaty. We also discussed the management and oversight of over 100 major hydraulic structures within the Columbia River Basin. These topics are relevant to the Mekong countries, as they seek to balance social, economic, and environmental facets of the Mekong River Basin through their own trans-boundary water agreements. As the U.S. developed as a nation, we’ve made our share of mistakes. We’re honored to share lessons learned and best practices with our partners, and learn from them as well,” Ting said.

The visitors also got the chance to observe free and open democratic processes in action. During a regularly scheduled public meeting, hosted by the Mississippi River Commission, community members, business owners and governmental officials provided comments, concerns and solutions as it related to the Mississippi Valley watershed.

“I think one of the reasons why our process works is that we proactively seek public comments…good, bad or indifferent. Proving opportunities for diverse opinions to be heard, and then considering innovative solutions that meet overall objectives helps facilitate national trust and confidence,” Tickner said. “Including the community is vital, because these projects don’t belong to USACE, they belong to everyone. I think this is a unique aspect that our Mekong partners have been able to witness,” Tickner added.

The Mekong River Commission last visited the U.S. in 2017, where they participated in similar public meetings, as well as visiting various water infrastructure projects. The Mississippi River Commission and USACE is tentatively scheduled to conduct a reciprocal visit to the Mekong in 2020.

As like-minded partners that share similar core competencies, the Korea Water Corporation and Taiwan Water Resources Agency participated in the exchange as observers. National interagency partners and academia, to include the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Virginia also participated in the exchange.

• Date Taken: 08.24.2019
• Date Posted: 09.20.2019 22:44
• Story ID: 342841
• Location: NEW ORLEANS, LA, US