Mengzi Basin of Southeast Yunnan Province

Hydrogeology Field Demonstration and Training Project

The Mengzi Basin of Southeast Yunnan Province, one of the CEHP's two karst hydrogeology field demonstration and training project sites, is located on the drainage divide between the Xijiang River of China and the Red River of Vietnam.

Intensive karstification has resulted in deep underground streams, resulting in serious water shortage problems. Our work at the Mengzi Basin site addresses how to ameliorate water shortages in the upstream reaches of the basin. The CEHP team plans to begin a hydrogeological assessment of the area using state-of-the-art methods of karst hydrogeology (while simultaneously provide training to our Chinese colleagues); including survey and mapping of underground river systems, fluorescent dye tracing, and water quality analysis. Additionally, we are working to assess the current level of water access and quality available to local residents. This will serve as a base line for evaluating quality of life improvements realized through the CEHP. Key factors of evaluation will include population distribution, land use practices, chemical inputs that impact groundwater, sources of water available to households, seasonality of supply, and household labor required to obtain water.

Our collaboration with Chinese colleagues at Southwest University of China includes project planning, data exchange, and the implementation of a Rapid Assessment Process (RAP), a methodology for investigating complicated situations in which multiple factors are important and key issues are not well defined. It is a team-based approach that combines “insider” and “outsider” knowledge and relies on team members bringing different perspectives and expertise to the project. This activity is closely integrated with the Community Outreach and NGO Training sector of the CEHP. These activities will initiate relationships with community members, NGOs, as well as local and, potentially, provincial government representatives.