ABSTRACT
A new water governance paradigm is needed in the Mekong region to assist societies in making better choices about how to share and manage water for the production of food and energy. On mainstreams and tributaries, disputes exist, resulting from interventions to natural flow regimes and overt or default management decisions. These interventions are justified on the grounds of flood control, more irrigation for food or fibre production, urban or industrial supply, improving ease of navigation, or boosting energy production via hydropower. There are associated disputes about altered sediment and nutrient loads, groundwater use, water reuse and diversions (inter-state, intra-state, inter-basin and intra-basin). New regional water governance is vital because these issues have territorial, ecological and political dimensions that need to be managed via regional protocols, rules or benefit-sharing processes.
