Component A: Water Resources Planning and Capacity Building (Estimated Cost: US.0 million)

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  Subcomponent A-1 (US$2.2 million): Water Management Monitoring and Investment Planning in the Western Mekong Delta. This subcomponent is to support adjustment of the existing provincial water management plan prepared based on the Mekong Delta Master Plan, incorporating potential impacts from upstream development and climate change. Climate change impacts on salinity intrusion have been well analyzed; however, impacts of the salinity intrusion on the land use and agriculture activities have to be examined to assess the overall impacts on the livelihood in the western Mekong Delta. This subcomponent also aims at forging an interdisciplinary team consisting of local experts covering water resources, environment, agriculture, and social aspects. In particular, the subcomponent would finance technical assistance, good (equipment) and training, aiming at producing outputs as follows:
  

1. 
   Preparation of the provincial level water management and investment plan. This activity would support the revision of the provincial level water management infrastructure plan considering the climate change and upstream development factors. In particular, the preparation of the plan would be carried out through the following steps; (a) assessing the potential impacts from climate change and upstream developments (using a series of development scenarios and possible operational patterns of the upstream dams) on current land use and agriculture patterns; (b) Identifying the critical areas (districts and villages) where the impacts are substantial; estimating the impacts on livelihood and poverty; for these areas, developing a plan of high priority interventions (both structural and non structure measures) to increase resilience and flexibility of water management. For coastal provinces (Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Kien Giang and Camau), where the conflict on land and water use is expected, reviewing the relevance of the current water management zoning in area and recommending the adjustment in water management zoning where there are possible conflicts on water use. Conflicts on water use is often caused by inappropriate water management regime; (c) Preparing Provincial Water Management and Investment Plans in consistency with the outputs (iii) and (iv) above with assistance of local consultants; and (d) Reviewing the feasibility studies for the large scale water management infrastructure (e.g., Cai Be, Cai Lon Sluice gates) considering economic, social, and environmental aspects, and exploring alternative non-structure measures such as adaptation. Consistency with the recommended water managing zoning is also examined.
   

2. 
   Support for regional water management analysis. This activity would support the data collection, analysis, and forecast at the regional level. At this moment, the data collection on water flow and salinity are carried out by the provinces, and there is no coordination among the provinces. This activity would main support (a) data collection and local consultation at the provincial level (equipment and office renovation, SCADA system), (b) training on hydraulic modeling capacity at the provincial level (software), and (b) periodical a technical analysis by a specialized institution (funded by the Government), and outcome of this activity would be used for provinces to take proactive actions for water control.
   

Subcomponent A-2 (US$2.2 million): Water Productivity, Operation and Maintenance. The main objective of this subcomponent is to promote the efficient use of the water through: (a) demonstrate good practices of the on-farm water management to increase water productivity, and (b) increase efficiency in operation and maintenance of the irrigation canals in the Mekong Delta. In particular, this subcomponent would support the following two activities.

1. 
   
   
2. 
   Support for Operation and Maintenance. This Subcomponent would help the provinces and the MARD to increase efficiency in operation and maintenance of the irrigation canals in the Mekong Delta. The subcomponent would be built on the outcome of the previous Mekong Delta Water Resources Development Project, aiming at helping the irrigation and drainage management companies (IDMCs) to implement the management plan in the project areas and promoting participatory irrigation management. In particular, the subcomponent would finance technical assistance, equipment, and civil works to support the following; (a) Preparation of the institutional analysis (personnel, financial, technical, contracting, assets) and organizational and business plans (staffing, personnel, and key responsibilities), operation (expenditures, revenues, standards and procedures) and asset management. The analysis would also set out the benchmarks to measure future performance and be a basis for possible output basis assistance (OBA) in the future; (b) Logistical Support for all provincial IDMCs (office renovation, establishment of field branch offices, office equipment). Logistical support for some WUAs (office and equipment support); and (c) Technical assistance on Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) program to the concerned communities and the provinces/districts to formulate water user associations (WUAs) which would be responsible for and introduce contractual service agreements between the WUAs and IDMCs.
   

The implementation of this component would be implemented through a subproject approach. Implementation of these subprojects will be made in three cycles (Cycle 1: 2011-2012, Cycle 2: 2012-13, and Cycle 3: 2014-2015). The five subprojects have been proposed as the first cycle subprojects and feasibility studies and safeguard documents have been developed for each subproject. It should be noted that the Subprojects No. 4 and 5 are for the same irrigation scheme (Quan Lo Phung Hiep (QLPH)), and out of the proposed 62 bridges, 29 are for reconstructing bridges destroyed by earlier rehabilitation works carried out by the Government. Detailed design works have also been completed for the these subprojects.

The Cycles 2 and 3 subprojects, approximately 12 and 10 subprojects respectively, will be processing according to the schedule described in the Table 2 below.

3. 
   PROJECT AREA AND KEYS ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT
   

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  Omon-Xano (OMXN: About 8 subprojects have been proposed of which three subprojects will be implemented starting the first year. Main activities involve dredging /dyking of existing primary, secondary canals, and construction of sluices, rural bridges;
  
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  Bac Vam Nao (BVN): There is one subproject and the proposed activities would cover dredging/dyking and construction of rural roads and bridges;
  
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  Quan Lo-Phung Hiep (QLPH): There are eleven proposed subprojects located in and/or extension of this area of which 9 subprojects will involve dredging/dyking and/or construction of sluices and rural bridges and two subprojects cover construction of 49 small and medium size bridges in Soc Trang and 13 bridges in Bac Lieu.
  
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  Dong Nang Ren (DNR): There is one subproject to be implemented in the first cycle. The subproject draws water supply from QLPH. The activities would cover dredging/dyking and construction of sluices and bridges; and
  
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  Ca Mau area: There are six proposed subprojects and the activities would cover dredging/dyking and construction of sluices in Ca Mau area X and other nearby areas. No subproject in Ca Mau is implemented in the first year.
  

Table 2.1 summarizes a list of the proposed subprojects to be implemented under Components 1 and 2. Figure 2.1 shows locations of the project areas.