Solid water information systems are fundamental for efficient water management and the implementation of national water policies, especially in the face of climate change. Enhancing and expanding existing hydrological information management systems can facilitate effective decision-making: this could entail the creation of a national integrated water management system. Capacity-building efforts will be needed to maximise the utilisation of these systems in a sustainable manner over the long term.
Water Demand Management in Mongolia
Highlights of a National Dialogue on Water
Abstract
This chapter sets out directions for building efficient water information systems and identify ways to strengthen capacity building for water experts in Mongolia, considering the hydrological variability caused by climate change and vulnerability of existing water-related infrastructure. It covers the following elements:
Innovation standards and institutional arrangements for hydrological monitoring network installation and operation.
Significant expansion of systematic hydrological monitoring networks.
Expansion of ICT-based hydrological monitoring facilities and modernisation of hydrological monitoring infrastructure through:
Modernising aging hydrological monitoring infrastructure
Improving hydrological monitoring data quality control
Establishment of flood forecasting and warning system using cutting-edge technology
Integrated water information systems could be advanced through the establishment of a national integrated water information system as well as a water management centre.
Lastly, human resources capacity could be strengthened to support the enhancement of water information systems through a comprehensive approach to train water experts, including a tentative mid to long term road map for capacity building. The establishment of a National Water Environment Education Centre could support this approach.
Along with the mid- to long-term plans, two pilot projects could be implemented in the short-term to demonstrate the possibility of ICT-based advanced water management in Mongolia, as follows:
Project 1. A project to establish an IWRM integrated operations centre within the MECC
Project 2. A project to strengthen human capacity through the WSRC
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) is responsible for national hydrological observation and hydrological data, while responsibilities for monitoring surface water and groundwater are divided between the Meteorological and Environmental Administration and the Water Resources Administration (Figure 4.1).
Source: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
4.1.1. Status of the hydrological monitoring network
Hydrological observation stations play a crucial role in observing and investigating the most fundamental information related to national water resource planning and development management. To provide these functions, the government is operating 181 meteorological observation facilities that conduct surface water level and flow measurement (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, 2021) and 325 groundwater stations (68 automated, 255 semi-automated, and 2 manual) (Figure 4.2).
Source: MET, 2019-2020.
To effectively collect, store, analyse, and present hydrological information, a Geographic Information System (GIS) was established in 29 river basins nationwide in 2022 with support from ADB. However, the system is limited to record basic hydrological data. Expanding the data acquisition to more river basins could generate more precise analysis of the results. An Automated Weather Observation System (AWS) has been installed at 32 weather observation stations nationwide from 2017 to 2019 (over a period of three years) to observe minute-by-minute wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.
Groundwater observation network
There are 325 groundwater observation stations across the country, 28% of which are located in Ulaanbaatar city, 45% in the Gobi region, and 27% in the rest of the country, with observations every six hours. More observation networks could support the efficient management of underground water resources. The government has recently expanded the number of stations in densely populated areas, large-scale mining areas, and natural ecological monitoring (since 2011). According to Vision 2050, it plans to expand by 20 stations per year (2020-2024) to about 500 by 2050.
Groundwater observation items such as water temperature, water level, and water pressure are transmitted to the server through the cellular network every 6 hours. Where automatic observation is difficult, each basin management office observes data twice a year and provides it to the Water Agency which manages the final groundwater information data (Mr. Batbayar Zeneemyadar, 2024[1]).
Most of the 21 river basin organisations in the country are in need of enhanced hydrological observation facilities, budget, and manpower, and face challenges in providing systematic data analysis and information due to the lack of specialised personnel and analysis systems. Server operation management also faces challenges, as only one monitor is in operation, and the server is sometimes shut down due to budget constraints.
There are gaps in the hydrological observation network installation and operation management standards. Information management could benefit from determining the operational management entity could be determined, such as a national-level institution or aimag, and observation standards for each observatory. Standards and systems could be focused on water quantity and water quality in vulnerable areas, and gradually expand observation items and frequency. In particular, periodic water quality measurements at vulnerable areas could improve water quality interventions (Battulga Dariimaa, Gombosuren Odontuya and Andarai Tsiiregzen, 2021[2]).
Surface water observation network
Provincial meteorological and environmental stations that manage surface water usually have one to six observers, working in collaboration with the aimag (province) and river basin management offices as needed. Mongolia currently has one observer per 5,000 km², and there is an urgent need to increase staffing and modernise equipment (Fan, 2020[3]). WMO recommends rainfall observation station per 250km2 in mountainous areas, 575 km2 in plains and hilly areas, and 25 km2 in island areas. However, considering Mongolia’s vast desert surface area (40%), this standard may not be proportional.
Source: Interview with the National Agency for Meteorology and Environment Monitoring of Mongolia, 2023.
Water level observation is done twice a day with rulers or wooden water gauges (one pilot installation of automatic water gauges), and surface water observation facilities at 156 sites nationwide (138 rivers, 18 reservoirs) are mostly outdated (Table 4.1).
4.1.2. Recommendations on strengthening the hydrological monitoring system
Three improvements to the hydrological monitoring network are proposed: 1) Standards and institutional innovations for the installation and operation of hydrological observations, 2) Expansion of systematic hydrological observations, and ICT-based hydrological observation facilities.
Innovation standards and institutions for hydrological monitoring network installation and operation
The Government should seek to establish policy directions for hydrological observations at the pan-governmental level (including the establishment of a task force on hydrological observation network innovation) and to establish comprehensive standards and systems, including measures to standardize relevant laws, systems, and standards. There is a need for innovative improvement of the accuracy of water information, modernising equipment, standardising quality control, and establishing a specialised organisation to be in charge of the monitoring network.
Facilities and systems tailored to local conditions should be introduced in stages, starting with vulnerable points, on a pilot basis (evapotranspiration, water level gauge, etc.). This could support hydrological observations, for instance through a system that can simultaneously perform rainfall forecasting, hydrological analysis, and flood prediction and warning. The water quality is evaluated by IRIMHE and reported to the EIC.mn. The underlying methodology and regulation are not clear, however, particularly in terms of how, where and when they do sampling.
Data analysis is done by provincial meteorological centres in their laboratories, sent to IRIMHE for publication on EIC.mn. The parameters they report are EC, BOD, Permanganate oxidation rate (mg/l) and the water quality index. In the upcoming environmental baseline study report that MECC will publish this year, it states that 81 surface water quality monitoring samples were reported. Therefore, the number of quality monitoring stations seems to vary from year to year.
Standards for monitoring hydrological data, building a database, and managing data quality could be enhanced. To this end, a dedicated and centralised hydrological observation organisation could be considered, which can manage data quality and provide information quickly along with systematic hydrological observations. Box 4.1 presents the centralised hydrological observation organisation in Korea.
Korea has established a dedicated hydrological observation organisation, the Korea Institute of Hydrological Observation and Technology, through the government's Five-Year Plan for Advanced Hydrological Observation (2005), the First Basic Plan for Hydrological Observation (2010-2019), the Second Basic Plan for Hydrological Observation (2020-2029), and the enactment of the Act on Water Resources Observation and Management
The Korea Institute of Water Resources Research and Technology is expanding its business into various fields, including hydrological observations, advanced equipment development, national river basin observations, and flood damage observations. Along with statutory education to foster professional hydrological observation workers, the institute has created various hydrological observation education contents to provide systematic education for hydrological observation workers, including theory and field practice. This is believed to be possible due to the government's strong will to advance hydrological observations.
In Korea, various water-related laws and scientific and systematic management are in place to provide a safe water environment and welfare for the people, as shown in Figure 4.3.
Source: Korea Institute of Hydrological Survey, 2023 (KLRI, 2023[4]); (Ministry of Environment of Korea, 2018[5]); (Ministry of Environment of Korea, 2018[6]).
Laws related to hydrological surveys in Korea have four standards, including the Korean Hydrological Observation Facility Installation and Operation Manual, as shown in (Table 4.2).
The Hydrological Observation Business Regulation stipulates the business procedures for conducting hydrological observations by the Ministry of Environment and requires the evaluation of hydrological observation facilities (precipitation, water level) and taking action on the evaluation results. The hydrological investigation affairs regulations require compliance with the installation environment, maintenance and management of hydrological observation facilities and quality control standards for hydrological data, and the evaluation criteria for hydrological observation facilities are established.
The details of hydrological observation communication facilities are in accordance with the “Management and Operation Guidelines for Hydrological Observation Communication Facilities”, etc. The Hydrological Observation Manual describes the general matters of hydrological observation, and the contents of the installation standards for hydrological observation facilities are mainly presented in the installation environment and maintenance of hydrological observation facilities and the quality control standards for hydrological data, and the standards for installation environment, maintenance, and quality control of hydrological data are presented in the Hydrological Observation Manual. (Ministry of Environment Directive No. 1344, enacted on June 11, 2018)
Source: Korea Institute of Hydrological Survey.
Significant expansion of a systematic hydrological monitoring network
Efficient water management is fundamentally dependent on expanding the hydrological observation network. However, most of the observation facilities in operation are aging and poorly maintained and are in urgent need of replacement.
Updating and establishing an integrated groundwater management system, including expanding Internet of Things (IoT)-based groundwater observation networks, could support sustainable use of groundwater, pollution prevention, and ecosystem conservation. Expansion of the national observation network of water quantity and quality (including installation of hydrological radar) and river flood warning infrastructure linking weather, surface water, and groundwater can support rapid and accurate water management decision-making.
Establishment of a hydrological observation policy and institutional task force can improve the hydrological observation system, including standardisation of laws, systems, and standards for hydrological observations at the pan-governmental level. The experience of Korea in this area is presented in (Box 4.2).
Rainfall is measured at stations operated by 4 government agencies (Ministry of Environment, Korea Meteorological Administration, K-water, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation). In the case of Korea, it is stipulated in the Water Resources Investigation Planning and Management Act and implemented by each organisation to avoid duplication. The Basic Law on Hydrological Investigation organizes the purpose and regulations so that there is no duplication between agencies, and the necessary hydrological investigation monitoring is implemented according to the agency's purpose. Common matters for national management are stipulated in the Basic Law on Hydrological Management. There are a total of 853 water level stations operated by four organisations (Ministry of Environment, K-water, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation, and Korea Rural Community Corporation) listed in the 2022 annual report of hydrological survey on Korea (MoE Korea, 2022[7])(Table 4.3)(Table 4.4).
Number of observatories per institution
Source: Annual Report of Hydrological Survey on Korea, Ministry of Environment, 2022 (MoE Korea, 2022[7]).
Source: A plan for installation and operation of a groundwater observation network, MoE, 2022 (MoE Korea, 2022[7]).
Water Level Measurement Methods-Cycle
Automatic: Measurements are taken automatically every hour and sent to a central server automatically
Semi-automated: Automatically measured and stored in the measurement sensor at 1-hour intervals, and the administrator visits the site at least once a month to download and record the data
Manual: Administrator visits the site at least once a month to manually measure and record the groundwater level with a water level meter or tape measure
Expansion of ICT-based hydrological monitoring facilities
The development of ICT-based rainfall forecasting, real-time water resource information, and flood analysis system for scientific water management could support hydrological monitoring.
Expansion of facilities to enable IoT-based disaster management by simultaneously transmitting and controlling data through real-time monitoring automation systems and remote-control devices could support disaster risk management.
With the development of information technology (IT), France, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries are conducting integrated management led by the government and public institutions to ensure accountability and safety of data. Some countries have an integrated system general management organisation designated for public utilisation of information, for instance in China (MWR), France (SCHAPI), Japan (MLIT), New Zealand (NIWA), United Kingdom (CEH), and the United States (USGS).
Gradual introduction of advanced hydrological observation technologies such as ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler), evapotranspiration, and soil moisture measurement devices may benefit hydrological analysis, and the quality of measurement results is improved by establishing a system for testing advanced equipment and devices.
Pilot installation of IoT-based integrated observatory that can continuously observe water level and flow in connection with various items (similarity, water temperature, non-conductivity, etc.) by selecting one water level and flow observation station.
4.2.1. Status of hydrological monitoring infrastructure in Mongolia
Groundwater observation equipment
The World Bank-supported project to install groundwater level gauges at 324 sites has a high level of satisfaction, but the accuracy of the gauges (data) has not yet been evaluated. The project also suffers from a lack of expertise in maintaining and operating the gauges and analysing the data (WB, 2021[8]). In the Gobi region (3 river basins), 119 monitoring stations are reaching the end of their life (Table 4.5).
Automatic data (water level, water temperature, air temperature, air pressure, water pressure, and electrical conductivity) are transmitted to the server via cellular every 6 hours, and manual data are collected and analysed by each river basin management office twice a year. Due to the low population density in Mongolia, cellular networks are only densely concentrated in areas around major paved roads connecting the east, west, north, and south, so there are limitations to installing automatic meters in remote areas.
Source: Questionnaire for the National Dialogue on Water in Mongolia, MET, Mongolia, 2023.
Surface water observation equipment
A total of 48 water intakes are in operation across Mongolia, including 12 in Ulaanbaatar City and 21 in aimag and mining sites. Water withdrawal data are stored in water intake monitoring systems, which are not linked to a centralised integrated monitoring system. Surface water observations rely mostly on stationary wooden water level gauges and floating spherical flow meters. Equipment and analysis programs are mostly from the former Soviet era, with variable accuracy (Table 4.6).
Source: Questionnaire for the National Dialogue on Water in Mongolia, MET, Mongolia, 2023.
The national surface water observation is performed twice a day at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. by measuring the water level at the neck and registering it in the Structured Query Language (SQL) server. Measurement items vary by station, and up to 16 items are observed.
Meteorological and Environmental Administration surface water hydrologists use mobile phones to register the manually measured data into the SQL server management program, which is reviewed by the staff of the Water and Environmental Research Institute-Surface Water Research Division and registered on the website weather.gov.mn.
4.2.2. Recommendations
Three improvements to hydrological observation facilities are suggested: 1) Modernisation of old hydrological observation facilities, 2) Improvement of hydrological data quality management system, and 3) Establishment of flood warning system using advanced technology (Box 4.3).
Modernisation of ageing hydrological monitoring infrastructure
Automating hydrologic observation facilities and modernising aging facilities
Short-term: Automated flow observation equipment, non-contact flow meters, etc. (radar, video, etc.), pseudo-metering, evapotranspiration meters, etc.
Medium to long term: Installation of rainfall radar (S-band, X-band, etc.), introduction of advanced equipment such as Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), simultaneous measurement of water quality and quantity at the same observation site.
Communication network: Dual network with Very High Frequency (VHF), satellite network and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless communication network. This would be an action for the medium to long term.
The data quality management system (establishing quality control standards) is equally important to develop advanced water information management methods.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)'s standards for rainfall stations, it is generally recommended to have one rainfall station for every 250 km² in mountainous areas, 575 km² in plains and hilly areas, and 25 km² in urban areas. However, since 40% of Mongolia's land is desert, it is not reasonable to apply this standard. Moreover, the communication network system does not provide full coverage, so rather than expanding the observation network on a national scale, it is considered appropriate to first pilot the system in major river basins such as the Tuul River, or in the river basins where demand is growing and then gradually expand it after evaluating its performance.
The Ministry of Environment and K-water will launch the world's first satellite dedicated to water resources in late 2025 to predict and prepare for water disasters. The satellite aims to monitor floods, droughts, green and red tides, and identify water resources, including reservoirs. The satellite is equipped with a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, an advanced technology that enables real-time monitoring of river flow and ground moisture content regardless of the weather. In addition, the water satellite not only monitors rivers across the Korean Peninsula, but also includes technology that can calculate changes in the shape of the land due to heavy rainfall and the amount of water held by the soil. The satellite may also be applied in other countries in Asia
Source: K-water.
An automatic flow measurement facility is a real-time, unmanned flow measurement system for measuring the flow rate of a river that measures the water level and flow velocity at regular time intervals to calculate the flow rate. It conducts a series of tasks that transmit the measurement results to the server using a wired/wireless communication network, fully automatic without any human operations needed. An Automatic Flow Measurement Equipment Composition Measurement system comprises:
Measurement equipment and auxiliary equipment related to measurement such as flow velocity meter, water level meter, etc(Box 4.4).
Control system: Control of measurement system, processing and transmission of measurement data.
Operation management system: collection, DB storage, and monitoring of measurement data.
In Korea, the primary methods used for flow measurement are the Electromagnetic Wave Surface Velocity meter (EWSV) and the Acoustic Doppler Velocity Meter (ADVM).
The EWSV method measures flow velocity by calculating the Doppler shift caused by the difference between the incoming frequency and the number of waves reflected from scattering objects. This method allows velocity measurement at multiple points (ranging from a single point up to a maximum of nine points) based on the location of the electromagnetic wave measurement.
The ADVM method determines flow velocity using the Doppler shift generated by differences in the echoes of ultrasonic waves reflected from underwater scattering objects. This method measures velocity in cells at regular intervals along the ultrasonic path and operates by fixing the sensor at a specific location.
The automated flow measurement facilities have been installed and are currently in operation at a total of 71 river sites across Korea. Measurements are conducted every 10 minutes, with an annual average data collection rate of 99.1% as of 2022, demonstrating a high level of system stability. Following installation, these facilities undergo an optimization process to establish the most effective operational settings, and within approximately one year, they are generally capable of producing and managing stable and reliable data.
Source: Korea Institute of Hydrological Survey.
Improving hydrological monitoring data quality control
Data quality control is very important because the data acquired can be incorrect or missing. Before utilising the data, separate data pre-processing tasks are performed, and these data pre-processing tasks take up significant time and effort during the entire analysis process (Figure 4.4).
In the case of observational data, the results of the analysis are greatly affected by the quality of the data used in the analysis, so high-quality data can support decision-making in water management. Observational data requires complex quality control algorithms and statistical analysis based on natural phenomena and physical meaning to check and correct data errors and omissions.
Standardisation of observation data prevent confusion in communication by establishing formats and rules for data elements that are scattered by system, and to maintain accuracy and consistency of data to secure high-quality data and efficiently perform data fusion and convergence linkage.
A national hydrological data quality management system can support the development of high-quality data. This would include establishing quality management tasks to improve the utilisation of hydrological data and establishing an accreditation system for the evaluation of hydrological observation statistics (Box 4.5).
A quality management system for each hydrological observation agency, including enacting regulations on quality management and developing manuals and systems for quality management tasks unique to the agency, secures the quality of its operations and the observations.
Source: AWC.
In 2021, Korea established a foundational framework for more efficient data management by introducing standardised guidelines for hydrological observation facilities, which had previously been installed and operated in a fragmented manner. These guidelines include customized water resource management standards for hydrological observation agencies, quality standards for the installation and maintenance of hydrological observation facilities, and data quality management criteria distinguishing between the common network and institutional networks (Figure 4.5) (Figure 4.6).
Source: A plan for hydrological investigation of Korea, MoE, 2021.
Establishment of an organic integrated management system for the entire process of quality control by data collection organisations (after 2020).
Reorganised into a quality control system for the entire process from field measurement to data distribution.
Establish a quality management system for the entire process of hydrological data generation and utilize it in the Statistical Yearbook of Hydrological Observations.
Source: A plan for hydrological investigation of Korea, MoE, 2021.
Establishment of flood forecasting and warning system using cutting-edge technology
Prediction of the rise in river water levels in response to expected rainfall in advance could improve flood response time and reduce flood damage. This could be done in real time through an automatic weather observation network to analyse flood risk areas in advance.
The observation data collection and DB system may require a redundant configuration of VHF (main network) and GSM (auxiliary network) to receive data remotely from automatic rainfall observation stations and automatic water level observation stations to establish an uninterrupted data collection system.
The data management system applies hydrological data quality control functions to the system so that abnormalities and deficiencies in observation data can be quickly detected and measures can be taken quickly and conveniently. The real-time hydrological observation monitoring system displays hydrological information, CCTV video information, hydrological data, and notifications on topographic maps based on real-time collected and stored hydrological information. A web GIS-based system is built in conjunction with data management and flood prediction systems so that users can monitor and judge flood conditions. In addition, a homepage was established to provide flood information to the public.
The flood prediction system is a C/S-based system that applies effective display methods such as tables and graphs to the results through the runoff model program and flood prediction program using collected observations and parameters.
The flood warning system builds a flood warning management system and LED display board that links real-time observation data and flood prediction execution results. It provides remote monitoring and control of alarm facilities and web-based monitoring and management functions that can efficiently perform flood warning tasks.
4.2.3. Advancement of an Integrated Water Information System
Based on the current status of water information management in Mongolia, this section proposes the establishment of a national integrated water information system and the establishment of a water management centre.
Status of water information systems in Mongolia
There is currently no central water information (management) centre that integrates and operates water information such as weather, surface water, and groundwater, and no comprehensive hydrological analysis program for flood warning. Major decisions for water management, including droughts and floods, are made by a task force composed of relevant ministries and government agencies. While there are statistics on the frequency of floods and droughts, it was not possible to identify the ministry responsible for managing the data.
Glaciers have been melting due to climate change, resulting into rising river levels, increasing the risk of flooding. A scientific water management system using real-time hydrological information systems (rainfall forecasting, river flood analysis, flood warning, etc.) and GIS could support water monitoring and disaster risk management.
Water disaster management could benefit from an integrated management system and a natural disaster management law. The flood that occurred in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar in July 2023 was the largest disaster in 50 years. Issues related to the legal system and government policies have emerged, and reviewing future policy directions has become necessary. In February 2024, the Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response Agency (DRRS) conducted a week-long preliminary study for the development of a flood disaster prevention action plan for the city of Ulaanbaatar.
Hydrological Observation Statistics for the Production and Utilisation of Hydrological Information (Yearbook) is a 400-page yearbook produced by the Mongolian Meteorological and Environmental Agency on Mongolia's surface water, resources, and water quality, organised into six sections. The sections include water flows, resources, climate, river monitoring status, lake monitoring status, water ecology observation results, water quality and pollution levels in rivers and lakes, and groundwater resources monitoring.
There are three representative water-related websites, but due to lack of budget, technology, and specialized staff, the data collected is not widely utilised or quality controlled (www.groundwater.mn, www.eic.mn, weather.gov.mn).
Future plans to connect the country's groundwater portal (www.groundwater.mn) and large water-using institutions with groundwater use systems are in operation. Representative organisations include Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Mongolia's largest copper mine located in the southern Gobi region), Erdenet state-owned industrial enterprise (Asia's largest copper and molybdenum mine located in northern Mongolia), and Erdenes Tavantolgoi joint stock company (coal mine located in the southern Gobi region).
There are few hydrological analysis programmes and specialists using various data (which are not digitised), and the current hydrological analysis uses the Reki Regima (Russian: Реки Режима) programme.
A groundwater information system is used to monitor the level of groundwater (to monitor the use of more than the authorised amount). There is a lack of data analysis systems for groundwater uses and pollution monitoring. There is a groundwater management system database, but analytical systems and specialised personnel are lacking.
The Surface Water Date Base has a water data base server but it is used only to document and store information data. The database is composed of several separate independent databases, and inputs are made by various organisations, resulting in redundancy of information (data) and errors between information. In addition, information is entered manually, resulting in errors and time-consuming information entry.
4.2.4. Recommendations
The following section proposes two improvements to water information systems: 1) Establishment of a national integrated water information system, 2) Establishment of a comprehensive water management centre.
Establishment of a national integrated water information system
Sustainable integrated water management that integrates water quantity, water quality, disasters, and water ecology, and includes demand management at the basin level could secure water efficiency and water cycle health in the basin.
To this end, establishing and operating an information centre that integrates groundwater and surface water at the Water Agency on a pilot basis could be considered. It could be gradually expanded to the establishment of specialised analysis systems at the basin level in conjunction with a plan to train specialised personnel. To build an integrated water information system, the following points could be considered:
Establish a preliminary basic plan for the deployment of sensors, IoT devices, and centralised databases for data collection, including standards and standardisation.
Establish an open water information service that supports inter-ministerial sharing of basic data acquired through the establishment of a network of observation networks in each field and the provision of analytical information to the public. (Box 4.6) (Box 4.7)
Expand step-by-step integration and sharing of data such as water quantity, water quality, weather, water supply, sewerage, flood, drought, etc. across government agencies.
Develop open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that support two-way communication and facilitate data exchange between external systems.
Provide clear and easy-to-understand documentation promotes the use of open APIs and support services to provide the knowledge and tools needed to utilise APIs. Developing operational experts in parallel.
Monitor data quality to maintain the reliability and accuracy of data, and work to improve or update systems as needed.
Water resource management in Korea is complicated compared to other countries. Due to the large drainage coefficient and the mountainous nature of the country, hydrological analysis from weather observation to runoff must be done quickly. To overcome these limitations, Korea's integrated water information system and groundwater information system are amongst the most advanced in the world, as shown below.
An internet-based portal system has been built and operated to provide water-related information to the public (Water Management Information System, MoE Flood Control Office, https://www.wamis.go.kr). The system comprehensively and systematically manages all information in the field of water resources. WAMIS provides basic hydrological data for 10 fields (hydrometeorology, watershed, rivers, dams, groundwater, water, water supply, environmental ecology, natural disasters, geospatial) with a total of 127 content areas and 300 data points, as well as water resource unit map data using GIS (Table 4.7).
Source: WAMIS (Water resources Management Information System), Han River Flood Control Office, http://wamis.go.kr.
GIMS, built and operated by Korea Water Resources Corporation, is a system that collects and manages all groundwater information such as groundwater quantity, quality, and utilisation status nationwide and provides groundwater information services to the public.
An integrated groundwater information system was established to efficiently utilize Korea's data on groundwater use investigation, observation data, and domestic and foreign new technologies and research data, and support groundwater policy formulation through groundwater information establishment, management, and analysis.
Development and maintenance of groundwater information system including national groundwater information map, standardisation of groundwater data, promotion of linkage and joint utilisation of groundwater information, research and development of information technology, education and technical support for local governments:
1,333 measuring stations installed and operating in 713 measurement networks nationwide.
Automatic measurement: Groundwater level, water temperature, electrical conductivity (1 hour interval).
Water quality inspection: 6 field measurements, 9 positive and negative ions, and 20 drinking water quality standards, 35 items (semi-annually) in total.
Source: http://gims.go.kr, K-water.
Establishment of a water management centre
For real-time water management and decision-making as well as systematic management of water information, a separate and independent National Water Management Centre (Situation Room) has advantages. It is recommended that the centre be piloted by establishing an integrated information system on a small scale. The centre will be tasked with monitoring and forecasting real-time national water resources, groundwater status and water use, and establish hydrological analysis systems (rainfall analysis to flood forecasting), along with plans to train experts to operate these systems (Box 4.8).
K-water operates K-HIT (K-water Hydro Intelligent Toolkit), a powerful system that collects real-time water resource data and utilizes ICT technologies for analysis, providing valuable insights to users (Figure 4.7).
Five systems including rainfall forecasting, real-time water resource information, and flood analysis system based on the latest ICT are being developed and operated for nationwide scientific multipurpose dam flood and drought management and water disaster prevention. The pictures below show the Ministry of Environment, Flood Control Centre with a dedicated network for decision-making collaboration.
Source: K-water.
This section proposes a tentative mid- to long-term roadmap for the development and capacity building of water professionals in Mongolia, including the establishment of a comprehensive plan to train water professionals, the establishment of a national water environment training centre, and a capacity building programme.
4.3.1. Status of human resources specialised in water resources management
As of 2020, there were a total of 3,159 water professionals who had graduated in the past 30 years in Mongolia. Of these, 63.1% of all graduates worked in water sector-related organisations, while 36.9% worked in other fields.
Technicians who majored in water resources at domestic and foreign universities are categorized as hydrogeologists, hydrologists, hydro technicians, and hydro mechanics. Most of them work for water-related government agencies and river basin management organisations.
The Water Resources Agency has a total of 38 employees, and the 21 basin management agencies under its umbrella have 197 water professionals, of which 124 have bachelor's degrees and 43 have master's degree (Figure 4.8).
There are a total of 24 basin committees in the 21 basin management bureaus, with 205 participating organisations, including ministries, specialised water institutions, professional associations, private enterprises, and universities.
Each river basin management organisation has 18 experts in different fields working on watershed observations. However, most of the river basin management organisations are underfunded and understaffed.
Source: Authors, based on Questionnaire for the National Dialogue on Water in Mongolia, MET, Mongolia, 2023 (Questionnaire, 2023[10]).
There is no statutory training system or specialised training organisation to strengthen or train water professionals in Mongolia. The Meteorological and Environmental Resource Centre of the Meteorological Administration provides 40-day certificate training for surface water observers. The Ministry of Environment, and Climate Change has recently provided training for specialists as shown in (Table 4.8).
Source: Questionnaire for the National Dialogue on Water in Mongolia, MET, Mongolia, 2023.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change plans to conduct an observation on the status of water professionals in 2024 to identify the current status of manpower by field and establish a plan to train the necessary professionals. According to the results of the 2021 observation, 68 new professionals are needed in the short term, 110 in the medium term, and 231 in the long term.
Currently, capacity-building trainings are conducted by each river basin organisation, but effective trainings are not being conducted due to limited access to specialised instructors, the educational infrastructure, and experience with advanced technology.
4.3.2. Recommendations
As improvements to capacity building, three measures are proposed: 1) Establishment of comprehensive measures to train water professionals, 2) Establishment of a national water environment education centre, and 3) Mid- to long-term tentative roadmap for capacity building.
Establishment of comprehensive measures to train water experts
To build effective subject matter expert capacity, the following measures could be considered:
Identification of required specialists by specialty, demand assessment, and mid- to long-term training plan
Develop short-, medium-, and long-term training programs for water professionals
Short-term: overseas training, sending experts abroad, etc.
Mid-term: 21 to 45 days of training
Long-term: Master's program development, etc.
To strengthen the expertise and capabilities of public officials in the water and environment sector, it is proposed to divide the training into regular courses on relevant laws, regulations, policies, technological trends, and public ethics, and intensive courses on monitoring, finance, water management, IT, and data. It is also proposed to divide the training particularly tailored to the private sector, offering essential courses on policies and systems, such as water and environment-related companies, and technical courses on technology, R&D, data, and business (Figure 4.9).
Source: Authors.
As a program implementation strategy for capacity building, online and offline classes could be conducted in consideration of the number of trainees depending on the nature of the class. It is suggested that general subjects such as regular monitoring, regular management, national policies, laws and regulations, global trends, and ethics be conducted online to accommodate a large number of trainees, while specific subjects such as technology, AI&IT, R&D, business, policy formulation, and fund management be conducted offline to accommodate the targeted trainees in face-to-face classes (KIHS, 2023[9]; K-water HRDI, 2024[10]).
Source: Authors.
Establishment of a National Water Environment Education Centre
It is proposed to establish the "Mongolian National Education Centre for Sustainable Water Service" (M-NECS) under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for professional education in the field of water and environment in Mongolia. M-NECS would be composed of an education department and an internal and external cooperation department. The education department would establish sub-departments that would focus on policy, R&D, business, practice, data, and AI (Figure 4.11)(Figure 4.12).
The internal and external cooperation department would also establish internal and external cooperation teams and operate a legal team to improve various educational systems. At the top of the M-NECS, the M-NECS will have an oversight committee to oversee manpower and budget, and the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences will be in charge of all operations.
Source: Authors.
Source: Authors.
Mid to long-term tentative roadmap for capacity building
The capacity building of civil servants is proposed to be prioritised to complete the statutory mandatory training. This could be achieved by offering regular courses for private sector employees, it is suggested that the start of the training be timed to coincide with the establishment of training centres, as it requires the establishment of venues and online systems.
In order to establish a training centre and run capacity building courses, various legal and institutional measures may be required to ensure the quality of the programmes and the official recognition of the diplomas and certificates issued by the institute. ODA could be a starting point for the initial financing of a training centre (Figure 4.13).
Source: Authors.
In order to achieve advanced water management in Mongolia, 9 projects, 12 innovation projects in 4 fields, and 2 demonstration pilot projects are recommended. Mongolia could consider starting with two pilot projects. International partnership centres could foster international cooperation and trainings abroad (Figure 4.14)(Table 4.9).
Source: Authors.
Source: Authors.
Recommendations are to implement a) The IWRM integrated operation pilot project and b) the capacity building project using the existing WSRC training centre as local pilot projects to determine local feasibility. These projects can utilise existing infrastructure and can be implemented quickly, saving costs and time:
IWRM integration centre: real-time hydrological integration (groundwater, surface water, AWS), data analytics, and flood warning (hydrologic analysis, forecasting, etc.) system establishment at MECC (K-water, 2023[11]).
Training centre: Selected representative professions and institutions in consultation could be trained with domestic ODA or international cooperation support (faculty, on/off-line training, etc.) in Mongolia.
References
[15] Asian Disaster Reduction Center (2022), Asian Disaster Reduction Center Visiting Researcher Program (Fy2022), Asian Disaster Reduction Center, Ulaanbaatar, https://www.adrc.asia/countryreport/MNG/2022/Mongolia_CR_FY2022.pdf (accessed on 13 December 2024).
[2] Battulga Dariimaa, Gombosuren Odontuya and Andarai Tsiiregzen (2021), Water Quality Analysis of Тuul River Around the Ulaanbaatar City Area, Laboratory of Ecological Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5278-1580 (accessed on 13 December 2024).
[14] D.Saikhanjargal (2024), Water Pollution, Water Quality Policy and Management, Water Agency Government Implementing Agency, Ulaanbaatar.
[3] Fan, M. (2020), Achieving Sustainable Integrated Water Resources Management in Mongolia: The Role of River Basin Organizations, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines, https://doi.org/10.22617/BRF200175-2.
[9] KIHS (2023), Educational materials for hydrological survey workers, Korea Institute of Hydrological Survey, Seoul, https://www.kihs.re.kr/kor_sub/biz/work_edu.do (accessed on 16 December 2024).
[4] KLRI (2023), Act on the Investigation, Planning, and Management of Water Resources, Korea Legislation Research Institute, Seoul, https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_mobile/viewer.do?hseq=55436&type=part&key=35 (accessed on 13 December 2024).
[11] K-water (2023), Integrated Water Management System Establishment Project, Korea Water Resources Corporation, Dea jeon, https://kwater.or.kr (accessed on 13 December 2024).
[10] K-water HRDI (2024), 2024 Guide to water specialist training courses (Statutory training for hydrological survey experts), K-water Human Resources Development Institute, Daejeon.
[17] Ministry of Environment of Korea (2021), Overseas water industry survey report, Ministry of Environment of Korea, Seoul.
[6] Ministry of Environment of Korea (2018), Act on installation environment and maintenance of hydrological survey facilities and quality control standards for hydrological data, Ministry of Environment of Korea, Seoul.
[5] Ministry of Environment of Korea (2018), Water Survey Operation Regulations, Ministry of Environment of Korea, Seoul.
[7] MoE Korea (2022), Annual Report of Hydrological Survey on Korea_2022, Ministry of Environment of Korea, Seoul, https://hrfco.go.kr/popup/floodgateHstPopup.do?year=2022&kind=a (accessed on 13 December 2024).
[1] Mr. Batbayar Zeneemyadar (2024), Water sector’s policies of Mongolia, Water Agency Government Implementing Agency, Ulaanbaatar.
[16] National Statistics Office of Mongolia (2023), Байгаль Орчин - Эдийн Засгийн Дансны Систем. Усны Данс-2022 (Water Account 2022), National Statistics Office of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.
[12] NDMI (2021), Pre-feasibility Assessment Report on NDMI ODA Project in Mongolia and Nepal, National Disaster Management Research Institute, Seoul.
[13] Questionnaire (2023), Questionnaire for the National Dialogue on Water. Responses from the Government of Mongolia..
[8] WB (2021), Digital Water Platform: Development of a Groundwater Monitoring Portal Using Disruptive Technology, World Bank, Ulaanbaatar, https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099092723115034240/pdf/P1714880a003df0da0a98b01cb11a65fb61.pdf (accessed on 13 December 2024).