DWAT Implementation in Cambodia and Lao PDR
Under the framework of the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Cambodia and Lao PDR project, WMO and the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), are working together to address Cambodia's and Lao DPR's pressing need for obtaining comprehensive, consistent, and robust information on water resources.
For this purpose, the Dynamic Water Resources Assessment Tool (DWAT) is being deployed in both countries. DWAT assesses water balance dynamically, allowing for precise planning and management across small to mid-sized basins. It caters to both surface water and groundwater, ensuring a holistic approach to water resource management. By classifying watersheds into hydrologically homogeneous sub-basins, DWAT enables accurate simulation of runoff characteristics, evaporation, and groundwater flows, tailored to the unique soil layers of each region. The results derived from this tool can support policy makers, planners, and managers, providing them with the critical data needed to make informed decisions.
Country DWAT workshops were held to transfer knowledge on the use of the tool to the National Hydrometeorological Services of Cambodia and Lao PDR. These workshops enabled the implementation of DWAT firstly in pilot basins, with the aim of covering all basins in the country in the future.
The DWAT workshops were held in Vientiane, Lao PDR and Phnom Penh, Cambodia from the 13-15 March and 18-20 March 2024 respectively. The agenda of the workshops is available here.
For further information on DWAT and its implications for sustainable water management, please visit WMO's official DWAT page and check DWAT's general presentation. For more information on CREWS Cambodia and Lao PDR project please visit the WMO page.