Mekong River Commission

What is Mekong-HYCOS?
(The Mekong Hydrological Cycle Observing System)

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) launched the World Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WHYCOS) in 1993 as a generic initiative aimed at enhancing the collection and distribution of hydrological information through the modernisation of the National Hydrological Services (NHSs). WHYCOS is being implemented in the form of a number of regional components, referred to as "HYCOS projects", each being designed to meet specific regional and national needs. The Memorandum of Understanding on the cooperation between the MRC and the WMO was signed in 2001. It recognises the importance of flood management and mitigation in the Mekong River Basin. Particular emphasis is made to the improvement of the flood forecasting and warning system involving the establishment of the Mekong-HYCOS.

Development goal of the Mekong-HYCOS project
The development goal of the project is to minimise the loss of lives and property by reducing flood vulnerability in the Mekong River Basin, through strengthening integrated water resources management in the context of transboundary river basin management.

Purpose the Mekong-HYCOS project
The purpose or specific objective of the project is to establish a well functioning, reliable and accurate timely hydro-meteorological data collection and transmission system at basin level while strengthening relevant national and regional capacities.

The Mekong-HYCOS project will establish a basin wide hydrometeorological information system, which spatially covers mainstream and main tributaries of the Mekong river system. It is expected that under Mekong-HYCOS project, more than 20 hydro-meteorological stations will be upgraded. The Mekong-HYCOS system will be integrated into the existing MRC monitoring system, while improving the national hydrological networks and river monitoring/forecasting capacities.

The project will contribute to:

• The improvement of the river monitoring and forecasting system within the scope of the MRC’s flood Management and Mitigation Programme;
• The implementation of the Procedures for Data and Information Exchange and Sharing (PDIES) approved by the MRC Council in 2001.
• The upgrading of national data processing and archiving systems;
• The establishment of distributed regional databases and telecommunication networks;
• The provision and dissemination of hydrological information to the users in timely manner;
• The building of the necessary capacity in operation and maintenance of the system in the long run.

The project will be managed under the Information Management Programme (IMP) in the MRC Secretariat and ensure that all data collected basin wide are securily available in timely manner at the Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre (RFMMC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Each country will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of its part of the system with the support and co-ordination of the MRC. The member countries are responsible for flood forecasting within their own territory and obliged to share relevant data and information in the framework of Mekong-HYCOS.

 

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