Achieving fish passage outcomes at irrigation infrastructure; a case study from the Lower Mekong Basin

Baumgartner, Lee J.; Barlow, Chris; Mallen‐Cooper, Martin; Boys, Craig A.; Marsden, Tim; Thorncraft, Garry; Phonekhampheng, Oudom; Singhanouvong, Douangkham; Rice, William J.; Roy, M.M.; Crase, Lin; Cooper, Bethany

doi:10.1016/j.aaf.2018.12.008

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 50 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Since the mid-2000s, a multi-disciplinary research and development program in the Mekong Basin (summarized in Baumgartner et al, 2019a) has: documented the ubiquity of water management structures (Marsden et al, 2014); demonstrated methods for enabling fish to pass low-head barriers (Baumgartner et al, 2019b(Baumgartner et al, , 2020; outlined socio-economic benefits of improved fish passage (Millar et al, 2019); developed a decision making tool for assessing benefits-costs of fishways on low-head barriers (Cooper et al, 2019); and demonstrated scale-out of results through irrigation infrastructure rehabilitation projects in southern and northern Lao, funded by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, respectively (Baumgartner et al, 2019a). The program continues to generate data on the scaleout and cost-benefit of fishways to reconnect aquatic ecosystems in the Mekong, and more recently has initiated similar work in Myanmar and Indonesia.…”

Section: Investing In Ecological Offsets As An Alternative To Fishwaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydropower Development and the Loss of Fisheries in the Mekong River Basin

Campbell¹,

Barlow

2020

Front. Environ. Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Development of large scale hydropower is proceeding rapidly in the Mekong basin without adequate consideration of the severe and cumulative impacts the dams and reservoirs will, and are already beginning to, have on biodiversity, livelihoods and the economies of the lower Mekong countries. Migratory aquatic species will be particularly affected, and global experience indicates that fishways proposed for large mainstream and tributary dams will not provide effective amelioration. An offset strategy of remediating small weirs, flood control devices, regulators and irrigation works on tributaries and flood plains is more likely to be an effective and economically efficient means of supplementing fisheries to compensate for the negative impact of mainstream dams. Mainstream hydropower developments may result in future stranded assets, high electricity costs and even threaten the sovereignty of lower Mekong countries.

show abstract

Section: Investing In Ecological Offsets As An Alternative To Fishwaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydropower Development and the Loss of Fisheries in the Mekong River Basin

Campbell¹,

Barlow

2020

Front. Environ. Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…An often-overlooked parameter is the potential interaction that irrigated agriculture can have on inland fisheries. There is a risk that some objectives of sustainable development may not be met if irrigation expansion adversely affects fisheries production (Baumgartner et al 2019a). Thus, although food security is achieved in one sense (i.e.…”

Section: Translating the Effects Of Irrigation On Inland Fisheriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Irrigation infrastructure (e.g. dams, levees, diversion structures and intakes) can impede or block the movement of organisms, preventing them from accessing critical habitats (Liermann et al 2012;Baumgartner et al 2019a), completing critical life stages or cause direct mortality through impingement and entrainment (Baumgartner et al 2009;Piper et al 2013). Impoundment of water alters flow regimes (Petts 1984), in-stream and floodplain habitats (Mueller et al 2011;Pelicice et al 2015;Birnie-Gauvin et al 2017), sediment transport dynamics (Vörösmarty et al 2003) and water quality (Nilsson and Renöfält 2008).…”

Section: Translating the Effects Of Irrigation On Inland Fisheriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a significant opportunity to ensure that fisheries and OAAs are acknowledged and addressed in development agendas by integrating them through modernisation programs (Baumgartner et al 2019a;McCartney et al 2019). For example, approximately US$3 billion is being invested in Indonesia alone over the next 3 years to update and modernise failing irrigation infrastructure (World Bank 2018).…”

Section: Mediating Impacts Across Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Speaking the same language: can the sustainable development goals translate the needs of inland fisheries into irrigation decisions?

Lynch¹,

Baumgartner²,

Boys³

et al. 2019

Mar. Freshwater Res.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Irrigated agriculture and inland fisheries both make important contributions to food security, nutrition, livelihoods and wellbeing. Typically, in modern irrigation systems, these components operate independently. Some practices, commonly associated with water use and intensification of crop production can be in direct conflict with and have adverse effects on fisheries. Food security objectives may be compromised if fish are not considered in the design phases of irrigation systems. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a framework that can serve as a backdrop to help integrate both sectors in policy discussions and optimise their contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Inland fisheries systems do play an important role in supporting many SDG objectives, but these contributions can sometimes be at odds with irrigated agriculture. Using case studies of two globally important river catchments, namely the Lower Mekong and Murray–Darling basins, we highlight the conflicts and opportunities for improved outcomes between irrigated agriculture and inland fisheries. We explore SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) as a path to advance our irrigation systems as a means to benefit both agriculture and inland fisheries, preserving biodiversity and enhancing the economic, environmental and social benefits they both provide to people.2

show abstract

“…seeking to generate societal outcomes by harnessing water as a main mechanism to provide food. On the one hand, agricultural production can be enhanced by implementing irrigation development programs; on the other hand, this infrastructure can lead to significant fisheries declines (Baumgartner et al 2019). This situation is creating challenging environmental and social conflicts that have to be addressed for future development and system sustainability.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%