J. Resour. Ecol.

2011 2(4) 375-379

DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1674-764x.2011.04.012
www.jorae.cn
December, 2011 Journal of Resources and Ecology
Received: 2011-04-07 Accepted: 2011-04-28
*Corresponding author: LE Dinh Thanh. Email: ldthanh@wru.edu.vn.
Vol.2 No.4
Report
1 Se San River catchment
Total area of Se San River catchment is 18 570 km
2
, in
which 6960 km
2
(about 40%) in Cambodia, and 11 450
km
2
(60%) in Vietnam. The length of Se San River is 462
km. The source of Se San River starting from Ngoc Linh
Mountain in Kon Tum Province (Vietnam).
The Se San catchment mainly includes the provinces of
Kon Tum, Gia Lai (Vietnam), and provinces of Ratanakiri,
Stung Treng (Cambodia) with total population of 1 747 000
in which two provinces of Cambodia has only about 210 000
people (Le 2009). This catchment is mountainous and poor
area, the requirement in energy development is very high,
for example in Ratanakiri province up to now there is one
small hydropower plant with capacity of 1 MW.
The aquatic life in Se San River is rich, both with
respect to species diversity and biomass. There are 120
fsh species are recorded, but the number of species is most
likely higher, in the range from 200300 species, fsh is a
very important food source. Se San River has three large
branches in Vietnam (Table 1) and branch of Prekliang in
Cambodia (Fig. 1).
The water resources of Se San River basin are very good
for different uses, especially for hydropower development.
Annual rainfall of the basin varies from 1700 to 3000 mm
in the parts of Vietnam, and from 1700 to 2400 mm in the
parts of Cambodia. Distribution of rainfall in the year at
typical locations is in Table 2, the rainy season from May
to October.
The unit annual average discharge of the catchment
varies from 40 L s
-1
km
-2
at upstream part of the catchment
to 30 L s
-1
km
-2
at downstream part. The topographical
condition of the Se San catchment and river are very good
for hydropower development. The surface water of Se San
River are estimated at different sites as in Table 3, the total
annual water volume at Bankamphun is 41 759 Mm
3
. The
food season of Se San River from July to November.
Hydropower Projects on Se San River Impact on Social
Economical Development and Environmental Protection
LE Dinh Thanh
1
* and VU Thi Thu Lan
2
1 Water Resources University (WRU), Hanoi, Vietnam;
2 Institute of Geography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
Abstract: Se San river is one of main branches of Me Kong river, it has rather rich water resource, and
the topographical condition of the catchment and river are very good for hydropower development. The
aquatic life in Se San River is rich, both with respect to species diversity and biomass. There are about
120 fsh species are recorded, but the number of species is most likely higher, in the range from 200-300
species, fsh is a very important food source for the local people. Up to now, in the Vietnam part of the Se
San catchment there are 6 hydropower projects along Se San river from upstream to Vietnam Cambodia
boundary, and Se San 4A re-regulation reservoir. In the part catchment in Cambodia, in development plan
there will be 3 hydropower projects, they are Se San 5/lower Se San 1, lower Se San 3, and lower Se
San 2. The hydropower projects on Se San river have impacts on socio-economical development of the
region (Vietnam and Cambodia) such as create new energy sources and product condition for remote and
diffcult areas of the catchmnet, improve the transportation system and living conditions for the rural areas.
These hydropower projects also have impacts on natural environment such as flow regime changes at
downstream, sediment in downstream river reaches, and some impacts on the ecosystems along river.
Key words: Se San River; hydropower; environmental issue; mitigation measure; development
Journal of Resources and Ecology Vol.2 No.4, 2011 376
2 Hydropower projects on Se San River
2.1 Hydropower projects development in Vietnam
After the plan of hydropower development on Se San
River in the part of Vietnam there are 6 hydropower
projects with total capacity is 1738 MW. The main
parameters of these hydropower projects are listed in Table
4. Beside of above mentioned projects, reservoir Se San
4A has built at downstream Se San 4 for re-regulation
of river flow after impacted by hydropower projects at
upstream. This reservoir has total storage of 131 Mm
3
.
2.2 Hydropower projects planned in Cambodia
In downstream part of Se San river belong to Cambodia
Fig. 1 Se San River basin.
Table 1 Characteristics of main branches of Se San River in Vietnam.
1 Krong PoKo 121 3230 6.5 0.60
2 DakBla 152 3530 963 15.6 0.49
3 Sa Thay 91 1570 673 10.2 0.27
N River
Length
(km)
Area
(km
2
)
Average Elevation
of basin (m)
Average Slop of
basin ()
River density
(km km
-2
)
Table 2 Average monthly rainfall of Se San basin (mm).
Station I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Year
Kon Tum 1.2 11.3 38.3 88.7 233.5 247.0 271.9 317.0 296.7 178.6 56.0 8.5 1748.4
Pleiku 2.8 5.9 23.8 94.5 244.2 345.5 393.4 477.3 359.2 184.5 64.9 11.0 2204.0
Ban Lung 0.93 16.9 31.2 80.6 253.0 378.0 357.0 636.0 468.0 229.0 27.0 9.2 2486.0
Stung Treng 1.5 6.4 34.0 73.7 213.0 248.0 299.0 328.0 311.0 130.0 59.6 14.8 1720.0
Table 3 Surface water resources at hydrological sites of Se San River.
1 Tum Kon 2 968 95.9 3 025 32.30
2 Trung Nghia 3 224 127 4 005 39.40
3 Veunsai 16 300 562 17 719 34.50
4 Bankamphun 49 500 1 324 41 759 26.75
N Hydrological site
Area
(km
2
)
Average discharge
Q
0
(m
3
s
-1
)
Water volume
W
0
(10
6
m
3
)
Average Moduyn
M
0
(L s
-1
km
-2
)
there are 5 hydropower projects in preliminary plan (three
on main river, and two on branch of Prekliang) (Le 2009).
These projects are listed in Table 5.
3 Methodology of study
In this study, the methods of feld works and investigation
are used for collection of the information in natural
and society situations, the mathematical models is
also applied in study of Se San River flow regime and
assessment the impacts of hydropower projects. For
study the environmental issues raised by the hydropower
development on Se San River the integration of data is
applied into impact assessment.
The information collected through the feld studies was
combined and compared with the results from previous
studies, study reports and different sources. The method
to evaluate the liability of different kind of information
departed from focusing on one problem concerned, and
comparing all the available data from different sources.
The evaluation of the specific topics was then integrated
into a baseline study through description of the present
situation of environmental conditions.
4 Environmental issues raised byhydropower
projects development
In general, the hydropower reservoir construction and
operation will make many effects on environment and
society condition of the project area (both positive and
negative effects). In this study only some significant
problems created by the hydropower system development
LE Dinh Thanh, et al.: Hydropower Projects on Se San River Impact on Social Economical Development and Environmental Protection 377
on Se San river have considered.
4.1 The natural environment issues
4.1.1 Changes in river fow at downstream
Regulation of hydropower projects to generate the energy
for satisfying the requirement of uses make many changes
in river flow at downstream. The recent studied results
for Ialy and Se San 4 with monthly period estimation
for the average annual fow shown that, in the months of
flood season, discharges after hydropower site reduced
up to 20% in September (Ialy site impacted by Pleikrong
hydropower upstream), and after Ialy site the flow in
September reduced 32.8% comparing with natural flow.
After Se San 4 site the monthly discharge reduced 26.2%
in September by hydropower projects. In the dry season,
the discharges after hydropower projects increased
significantly, for example in March at Ialy effected by
Pleikrong reservoir from upstream then discharge increase
about 67.5% comparing with natural flow, or after Se
San 4 it is even about more than 100% (see Table 6 and
Fig. 2a, 2b) (Le 2009). These changes are good for food
control in rainy season and for water uses in dry season of
downstream area.
4.1.2 Water quality
In water quality issue, during the time of construction and
the frst year of operation the water quality at downstream
had been effected by change in sedimentation mainly.
Recent studies from different institutions shown that
Fig. 2b Changes of river fow after Se San 4.
Fig. 2a Changes of river fow after Ialy.
the water quality of Se San River is good enough for
ecosystems and human uses along river, for example some
conclusions of SWECO Grner (2006), and CAHENE
(Center for Applied Hydrology and Environment
Engineering 2008) about present situation of Se San River
water:
The water has weakly alkaline reaction with typical pH
of 7.07.5; most of the year the turbidity is moderate
(515 FNU), but in the rainy season turbidity can very
be high (200 FNU corresponding to 250300 mg SS
L
-1
). This high particle content causes problems for the
river ecology and for human use.
The content of the plant nutrient phosphorus and
nitrogen is low, and is not high enough to produce
eutrophication problems.
No content of algal toxins has been observed, but this
is not studied in the most intensive algal producing
period (April to June); the concentrations of heavy
metals, including arsenic, are low and reflect
unpolluted water in this respect. Concentrations are
below standards for drinking water including US EPA,
which has the strictest regulations.
It has been analyzed for 55 pesticides with detection
limit of 0.01 ppb, but no compound is detected. The
conclusion is that pesticides are not a problem in Se
San River.
Table 4 Hydropower projects in Se San River (Vietnam).
1 Upper Kon Tum 350 1170 220 944
2 Pleikrong 3216 570 100 417
3 Yaly 7455 515 720 3845
4 Se San 3 7788 304 260 1274
5 Se San 3A 8084 239 108 503
6 Se San 4 9326 215 330 1390
N
Project
Basin Area
( km
2
)
Normal water level of
reservoir (m)
Capacity (MW)
Annual Energy
(10
6
kWh)
Source: Industrial Ministry, Vietnam (SWECO 2006).
Journal of Resources and Ecology Vol.2 No.4, 2011 378
4.1.3 Aquatic life
Aquatic life issue, many species are found to perform large
annual migrations within this large area as part of their
life cycle, many species migrate up Se San river in the
wet season to spawn in tributaries, in inundated wetland
areas, and others are performing feeding migrations into
the same areas. Ian Baird (1995) made a list of fsh species
in the Se San River based on the catch of fshermen, and
came up with 120 distinct species. According to Professor
Ho Thanh Hai, and Professor Nguyen Kiem Son (Institute
of Ecology and Bioresources, Hanoi), there are more than
30 species of fsh migrate all the way into Vietnam from
the Mekong River (SWECO 2006). The construction
and operation of these hydropower projects impacted
on the way for migration of some fish of Se San River,
but also from the recent studies, the fishing measures of
local people are the main reasons in reducing the fish at
downstream Se San River.
Fish is the main protein source for the residents in
all areas along the rivers (80% according to Baird et al.
2002). The fshing methods used in the Se San River such
as gillnet, cast net, baited long-line, cylinder trap, ......
in which the 3 first methods were dominating. The most
typical mesh sizes for the gillnets was from 2050 mm.
When the hydropower dams in Cambodia constructed, the
fsh migration will be a more signifcant problem.
4.2 The society environment issues
Daily fluctuation of water level at downstream river
has impacted on some activities of the people such as
water transportation, fishing, and others because all
the people living along Se San River used small boat
for travel. But this is mitigated by construction of re-
regulation reservoir SE San 4A.
Hydropower development is opportunity for improving
the living conditions of the local people, for example
at present in Ratanakiri Province there are only one
hydropower plant with capacity of 01 MW and some
diesel generators.
The best benefit of hydropower development on Se
San River is helping to improve the good conditions
for economic and society developments of the rural
and remote areas of Se San River basin (Kon Tum and
Gia Lai of Vietnam, and Ratanakiri and Stung Treng
provinces of Cambodia), all these provinces are low
development. Hydropower projects supply the energy
sources for industry, domestic uses, and from that
helping development of infrastructures such as road,
urban areas, agriculture,
Hydropower projects are also the very good opportunity
for strengthening the cooperation between Vietnam
and Cambodia in economic and society developments,
especially in the sector of energy, transportation.
5 Mitigation measures
In order to mitigate the negative impacts on natural
environment and society conditions some effective
measures have been applied for Se San river such as:
For mitigating the changes in flow at downstream,
construction of Se San 4A as re-regulation reservoir to
1 Lower Se San 1 11 070 10.6 90
2 Lower Se San 3 15 600 414 180
3 Lower Se San2 18 550 394 420
4 Prekliang1 595 10.0 64
5 Prekliang 2 883 5.5 64
Table 5 Planed hydropower projects in Cambodia.
N
Hydropower project
Basin Area
(km
2
)
Inundation area by reservoir
(km
2
)
Install Capacity
(MW)
Project Site VII VIII IX X XI XII I II III IV V VI
Ialy
Qnatrue 301.4 498.1 570.4 471.9 375.4 221.6 130.4 94.5 74.2 73.9 112.4 207.2
Q withPleikrong 323.0 425.1 456.2 399.9 366.0 221.2 149.3 135.3 125.7 124.1 154.1 237.3
Q 21.7 73.0 7114.3 772.0 79.5 70.4 18.9 40.9 51.5 50.1 41.6 30.1
Q from Ialy 300.3 345.9 382.9 347.3 346.5 225.1 165.0 182.2 190.2 176.3 193.2 260.6
S San 4
Qnature 377.0 623.1 713.6 590.3 469.7 277.2 163.1 118.2 92.8 92.5 140.6 259.1
Q with upper 376.2 471.0 526.9 467.1 441.7 281.6 198.7 206.8 209.4 195.4 221.8 312.8
reservoirs
Q 70.8 7152.1 7186.6 7123.2 728.0 4.5 35.6 88.6 116.6 102.9 81.2 53.7
Q from Se San 4 364.5 464.4 524.0 464.5 440.2 280.4 203.3 212.1 213.5 203.7 220.7 302.3
Table 6 Average monthly discharges in natural condition and in operation of reservoir system (m
3
s
-1
).
LE Dinh Thanh, et al.: Hydropower Projects on Se San River Impact on Social Economical Development and Environmental Protection 379
mitigate impacts due to water level fuctuations which
causes erosion on the river banks and causes diffcult
on human activities concerning water of Se San river
at downstream part. This reservoir Se San 4A helps the
fow regime at downstream becoming nearly as natural
conditions (Le 2009).
Implement environmental monitoring program for
early detection of water quality changes. From 2004
Ialy hydropower Company has cooperated with MRCS
to monitor the water quality along Se San river.
Both sides of Vietnam and Cambodia have collaborated
to establish the program with five measures in
operation and controlling Ialy reservoir (the biggest
reservoir on Se San River) to mitigate the adverse
impacts on downstream area.
For the future, it is recommended to set up a system
for early warning of floods, spillway releases from the
upstream reservoirs. The warning system should be based
on direct warning from the operation staff at the Ialy
Hydropower station and others to the people living along
the Se San River.
6 Conclusions
The hydropower development has both positive and
negative impacts, in general from the practice benefits
of hydropower projects the positive impacts are always
bigger than the negative impacts, and it is very clearly
from when development the hydropower projects we could
not avoid some signifcant negative impacts such as losses
of land due to inundation of reservoir, changes in discharge
and water level at downstream, or barrier for migration of
fsh and for water transportation by dams.
In fact, these negative impacts raised by hydropower
projects on Se San River can be accepted and mitigated
by different suitable measures. Some typical mitigation
measures have been applied for the case of hydropower
development on Se San river with good results. The
positive impacts are basically and very good opportunities
for social development and environmental protection of
the local areas, special of the remote communities.
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1
,
2
1 WRU
2

200-300
120-64A
3513
2