With the support of World Wild Fund (WWF) and the Network for Sustainable Hydropower Development - Mekong (NSHD-M), the Institute of Water Resources Planning organized a training workshop “Conserving River Basin Ecosystems in Hydropower Development under Climate Change for Young Professionals in 3S River Basin" at the Dakruco Hotel, Buon Ma Thuot City from 27-29 March 2018.

The training workshop was attended by 16 trainees from local government agencies; research institutes, universities; civil society organizations and  hydropower plants, with the guidance of Mr. Ha Thanh Lan - Department of Training and International Cooperation- Institute of Water Resources Planning and Dr. Dao Trong Tu - Deputy Director of Center for Sustainable development of water resources and Climate change adaptation (CEWAREC).

The training included a two-day training workshop addressing issues such as current hydropower development in the world and in Vietnam; impacts of hydropower development on river basin ecosystems and solutions; the interactions of hydropower development and climate change; introduction to Rapid Sustainability Assessment Tool for hydropower development RSAT; importance and case studies of cooperation in the sustainable water resources  development on a river basin scale.

In addition, with the guidance of trainers and experts, trainees participated a field trip to Srepok 4 and 4A Hydropower Plants, Buon Don Ecological Tourism Area and Yok Don National Park. The participants learned about the solutions that the hydropower plants has applied to mitigate the negative impacts of hydropower development on the ecosystem and the shortcomings that need to be addressed.

Through the discussion, the trainees came up with many ideas and recommendations including:

- It is necessary to have a mechanism for effective coordination and information sharing among stakeholders;

- It is necessary to develop a water and environmental monitoring system associated with the process of hydropower construction and operation;

- It is necessary to have studies in Vietnam and in the region on how to implement and improve the effectiveness of fish-by-pass during hydropower construction phase; etc.

On the afternoon of 29 March, 2018, the training workshop was successfully concluded with 16 students receiving the certificate of completion.