2005 Progress Report
Information and Knowledge Management Programme
The Information and Knowledge Management Programme (IKMP) is
a new MRC development, which provides a common information base
and communication platform for all programmes. It is also supported
financially by all the programmes.
The programme facilitates access to and use of the data, information
and decision support tools comprising the MRC-Information System
(MRC-IS) and isnecessary to promote and co-ordinate sustainable
development of water and related resources in the Mekong Basin.
As part of its hydrological information work, it maintains
a network of hydrometeorological measuring stations along the
Mekong which transmit near real-time information on water levels
and rainfall for flood forecasting and other uses.
The programme has four components:
- Data Exchange and Sharing
- Information Management
- Decision Support Systems
- Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening
The Information Knowledge Management Programme was formerly
known as the Decision Support and Information Management Programme,
and operates within the Technical Support Division. It was introduced
into the 2005 Work Programme following the request of the Joint
Committee at its 18th Meeting in 2003 to act regarding sustainability
of the MRCInformation System (MRC-IS), and to prepare a proposal
on allocation of funds for the development, implementation and
maintenance of the MRC-IS for submission to donors.
Activities related to IKMP’s objectives were carried out in
2005 under the Technical Support Division (TSD) of the MRCS
and included:
- Development of the MRC-IS Portal. This information system
has been developed with the assistance of The Canadian Space
Agency and the Canadian Centre for Remote Sensing/Natural
Resources Canada. The Portal was completed by December 2005
and launched in-house at the MRCS in January 2006. There is
ongoing investigation into options for external access. The
Portal includes key information services such as interactive
maps, and a geographically-enabled metadata explorer with
metadata for spatial datasets.
- Final development of the Document Management System (DMS),
which is also part of the MRC-IS Portal. The DMS is designed
to improve sharing of and access to documents and provide
fully controlled access to a wide range of documents. The
Document Management System is planned to be opened for external
access in 2006.
- Implementation of international standards applying to MRC’s
metadata to conform to ISO 19115.
- Significant progress in the ‘Data Exchange and Sharing’
component: The first comprehensive list of Primary Custodians
(the particular line agency in a country responsible for collection
and management of a particular dataset was completed toward
the end of 2005. Guidelines for Implementation of Procedures
for Water Use Management were also developed in collaboration
with the Water Utilisation Programme and finalised in late
2005. Guidelines for Management of the MRC Hydro-meteorological
Network were also approved by the Joint Committee in August
2005.
- Official acceptance of the Sustainability Plan for the
MRC Hydro-meteorological Network by all MRC member countries
in March 2005. The Appropriate Hydrological Network Improvement
Project (AHNIP), scheduled to end in March 2006, is now in
its final stage. AHNIP has continued to assist the NMCs and
Line Agencies to consolidate and build their capacity to collect
and share near real-time hydrometeorological data. AHNIP has
also assisted the MRCS to draft guidelines for the management
of the MRC Hydrometeorological Network and Memorandums of
Understanding with the NMCs and Line Agencies for operation
of the AHNIP systems and monitoring stations.
- Continued collection and supply of timely hydro-meteorological
information to all MRC programmes. The hydro-meteorological
data collected from member countries through 2002 were also
completely processed. The hydrologic yearbook in 2001-2002
was reproduced in an electronic version and disseminated to
the member countries in late 2005.
- Provision of decision support to the Water Use Management
Programme and the Basin Development Plan. Decision Support
Framework modelling and knowledge base enhancements have also
been realised.
- Implementation of Procedures for Data and Information Exchange
and Sharing and Procedures for Water Use Monitoring has also
continued in the member countries.
IKMP activities in 2006, in parallel with the programme’s
continued preparation, will put emphasis on facilitating the
implementation of the framework of procedures and guidelines
developed in the last three years through technical support
and assistance.
The implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding for
Management of the AHNIP Network, which will be continued in
2006, will also be an important activity not only to the remainder
of the project but also for the longterm sustainability of MRC
hydro-meteorological data collection.
A key project in preparation is the Mekong Hydrological Cycle
Observing System (Mekong- HYCOS). Designed to improve river
monitoring and flood forecasting capacity, IKMP will be formulating
and developing the inception phase of the project.