Title: Roadmap towards Effective Flood Hazard Mapping inCambodia
October 31~December 03, 2005.

Name: PHENG SEANGMENG
Ministry of Water resources and Meteorology
Department of Hydrology and River works,
Email: dhrw.cambodia@online.com.kh
Seangmeng_pheng@yahoo.com

I. Introduction:
The characteristic of topography of Cambodia besides Mekong River we haveother rivers tributaries, Tonle Sap Great Lake and much other lake surrounded lowland
area. The northeastern part is high land and mountain range located along Southwest
West and North of the country. Cambodia is effected of Southwest Monsoon dominatedfrom mid may to mid November, this Monsoon bring rain normally heavy rain occurringfrom August to September so in this period is inundation in year. In Cambodia almost
every year is effected by flood, flooding from the rivers and from the localize rainfall.
Many people who live along the river and plain area are faced to the problems such as :losing lives, some properties, animals and their Agricultural product, all of them haveinsufficient food and clean water for drinking for using everyday during occurring offlood. However they have serious problem, they still live in their house because they do
not have shelter (have no Flood Hazard Maps).

II. The curriculum
The training was impressive, insightful and relevant to my job. It will improve myprofessional knowledge of the technical on the methodology to promote public awarenessby using Flood Hazard Maps to give information to save people life and mitigate flood
damages. However, the training course is too short of a refresher course for trainees. But
lectures make me understand about flood hazard disaster and know-how we can use
Flood Hazard Map for people.
A flood in Cambodia is occurred almost every year, flood disaster become serious
and affecting to economic development. The geographical characteristic of countrycaused a flood disaster. Many natural disasters cannot be avoided, but those disasters canbe mitigated if we have effective contingency planning as flood forecasting, emergencyresponse, financial availability, human and material resources in place, full network,
good coordination by individually, government agencies and organizations with effectiveand rapid response. This is way Flood Hazard Map will it roles. Develop one Flood
Hazard Map for a target area for some sub-basin where flash floods were severely
affected. Our Flood Forecasting Office has established with local administration for
implementing an activity and serve for public information and distribution of flood
information. The area is available of some data and has been used for some project byinitial study and considered that it will be important inputs which project is undertaking.

III. The role in making FHM.
The MOWRAM has the right to prohibit activities that are likely to damage flood
protection works or to obstruct the natural flow of rivers. Therefore all emergency works
In the event of floods and draughts, the MOWRAM is the Chief of Staff of the Royal
Government of Cambodia in the execution of emergency works. So MOWRAM should
hold the main responsibility for making FHM and disseminate for people for mitigate
flood damages

IV-The Action Plan of making FHMIn Cambodia, flooding is not restricted to the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap
floodplains. Towns and rural areas outside the Mekong basin and in the Central Plain
above the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap floodplain also are subject to flash flooding,generated by heavy rain in the mountains that surround the Central Plain. For example,
during the 2000 floods in Pursat and Kampong Speu Provinces suffered local floodingthat was generated by high flows in tributary catchments, rather than the Mekong basin.
The Secretariat of the National Committee for Disaster Management considers that Pursat,
Siem Reap, Kampot, Koh Kong and Kampong Speu several districts along NH4 areparticularly subject to flash flood. Total national losses in the 2000 flood were assessed
as:-5,158 villages affected and 7,000 houses destroyed-over 750,000 families (>3.4 million people) affected-nearly 620,000 ha of rice affected and 374,000 ha destroyed-nearly 1,000 schools and 160 health centers/hospitals affected-over 920,000 received emergency relief

The Secretariat is unable to assess separately the impacts of Mekong Riverflooding and flash flooding, but considers that the latter in general is responsible for 1020% of total losses therefore those areas under respond by provincial authorities levels
but under the policy of the Ministry
The present background of study area is major to finding on present conditions toreview of the plan of Prek Thnot Multipurpose Project. This area is development concept
on the agricultural development in the Prek Thnot River basin was identified in the multipurpose dame development plain in 1960’s aiming at three functions of hydropower,
irrigation and flood control. The constructed a dame is started 1960 with assistance ofJapan and other donor’s. After completed a Regulator Gate at Rolang Chrey and left bankcanal, the construction has been suspended due to chaos of civil war. After the civil war
reappraisal of the multipurpose project was carried out by the National MekongCommittee and environmental study on the propose reservoir area was conducted during
1993 to 1994. Therefore the Prek Thnot River basin the Royal Government of Cambodia
has been take to account for priorities basin to developing to improvements of livelihoodsof the rural areas over three Provincial and 10 district as the table, but for this areas apolicies for flood management damage mitigation and emergency response measures as
flood early warning system not yet improvement.
The target area for making FHM is Prek Thnot River basin in (Kompong Speu,Kandal and Takeo Provinces). It is located the western of Phnom Penh as show in themap the area summarized in the following table

Province
District

NumberCommune
Population
Household
Rice field

Kampong Speu
Aoral,
Chbar
Mon,
Kong
Pesi,
Phnom
Chrouch, andSamrong Tongof 43

KandalTakeo
Kandal Steung Bati
and Ang Snoul

Total
832

479

329,309

145,525

30,942505,776

63,57655,14329,41919,048

6,152
7,130

99,147
81,321

These actions will be set up a short and long-term ProjectWithin one year
To developing one Flood Hazard Map for the target areas of small Sub-basin that
become flashes floods it was severely hit by a flood event happened, Our Flood
Forecasting Office has established with local administration for the implementation ofactivities as public information to distribution of flood information the area is availabilityof some data has been the subject of some project studies these initial studies will be
important inputs to be undertaking.
Short Term Studies
Study on the feasibility on data collection with existing as topography,hydrological and rainfall data in the river basins.
Mid/Long-term Project
Improve of the quality of flood forecasting which our office is forecast andestablish Flood Hazard Map information, finally gives a hydrological forecast on what
would be the effect of such within the next day by cooperating some line agency, I reallyknow that it would be better reception and comprehension by the residents as well as
people involved operations.

V. Advice/Suggestions for Effective Flood Management inJapan
Now Japan has produced a very good methodology of flood management andflood hazard maps. Some might have too complicated for conducting. Many things had
been identified on the discussion on Town-Watching activity. I would say those are very
relevant. Provision of singe board for flood evacuation routes should be written at least
two languages Japanese as well as English.

VI. Advice / Suggestions for Training Course
Training course is not enough too short it should be longer is important to do
more exercises and practices to present something from their own sides: specifically theircountry’s condition on flooding and its mitigation. This way everybody get benefited canlearns from each other there is sharing of knowledge.

VII. Conclusion
Through the training course I can get much more knowledge about how to makeflood hazard map and understanding how important of it and I will develop it anddistribute to the residents and local authorities and explain to the people how to use FHM
in order to mitigate flood disaster and saving their life.