SBR- Content.pmd - INBO

4. Data on water and sanitation in the Lower Mekong Basin .............................................2534.1 The importance of monitoring equity, use, sustainabilityand impact–not just coverage....................................................................................2534.2 Coverage data ...........................................................................................................2544.3 Challenges in improving access: rural/urban ratios and population growth rates ......2574.4 Types of water supply and sanitation systems used ..................................................2584.5 Data on use and projected use ..................................................................................2594.6 Data on diseases related to domestic water and sanitation.......................................2604.7 Improving the focus, collection and use of LMB data ..............................................2625. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................26213. Floods in the Lower Mekong Basin ................................................................................2691. Nature and extent of flooding ..........................................................................................2692. Causes and contributing factors of flooding.....................................................................2732.1 Climate change ..........................................................................................................2732.2 Deforestation .............................................................................................................2732.3 Land degradation .......................................................................................................2732.4 Changes in flood storage capacity ............................................................................2732.5 Reclamation of floodplains and wetlands ..................................................................2742.6 Rapid expansion of urban settlements and infrastructure .........................................2742.7 Channel migration and other man-made modifications to river channels ..................2742.8 Reservoir operation ...................................................................................................2743. Environmental benefits of floods .....................................................................................2743.1 Soil fertility ................................................................................................................2743.2 Ecological health of the river system ........................................................................2743.3 Fish and other wildlife ...............................................................................................2743.4 River bank and floodplain vegetation ........................................................................2753.5 River channel maintenance .......................................................................................2754. Economic and social costs of flooding .............................................................................2755. Trends, hotspots and trans-boundary issues.....................................................................2775.1. Increasing frequency of serious floods .....................................................................2775.2 Increased flooding in low-lying coastal and estuary areas ........................................2775.3 Population growth and increased urbanisation ..........................................................2785.4 Rural development issues in the LMB ......................................................................2785.5 Reduced capacity to cope with floods ......................................................................27814. Cooperation in the Mekong Basin ...................................................................................2831. Cooperation is crucial ......................................................................................................2832. Beginnings of cooperation – the Mekong Committee......................................................2843. The Mekong River Commission ......................................................................................2854. Cooperation to promote economic development ..............................................................2875. Cooperation to promote environmental sustainability .......................................................2896. Challenge of cooperation .................................................................................................291Authors and contributors .........................................................................................................295Reviewers and resource persons ...........................................................................................299vi