Tradeoffs between climate change, irrigation and fish habitat in the Stung Chinit watershed, Cambodia

The study concludes that the Stung Chinit watershed possesses sufficient water to support a 10% expansion of irrigated area and double-cropping of rice while protecting downstream flows, provided that well-coordinated water management is implemented. While climate change increases temperatures and irrigation demand, the research identifies poor water management as a greater threat to ecosystems and rice production than climate change itself. The findings indicate that promoting dry season rice without flow requirements would severely impact instream flows, but implementing such requirements results in only minor rice shortages that can be mitigated through improved cooperation and shifted irrigation practices.

• The Stung Chinit watershed has enough water to increase the irrigated area by 10% and allow for rice to be grown twice annually while maintaining downstream flows under climate change, provided management is well-coordinated.
• Promoting dry season rice without restrictions would severely impact instream flows, but the application of flow requirements protects these flows with only minor impacts on rice production for single or double cropping.
• Although climate change will increase temperatures and irrigation needs, the primary threat to the region's ecosystems and rice production is the lack of effective water management.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2021). Tradeoffs between climate change, irrigation and fish habitat in the Stung Chinit watershed, Cambodia. https://www.sei.org/publications/tradeoffs-climate-change-stung-chinit-watershed-cambodia/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Tradeoffs between climate change, irrigation and fish habitat in the Stung Chinit watershed, Cambodia. 2021. https://www.sei.org/publications/tradeoffs-climate-change-stung-chinit-watershed-cambodia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Tradeoffs between climate change, irrigation and fish habitat in the Stung Chinit watershed, Cambodia |date=9 February 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/tradeoffs-climate-change-stung-chinit-watershed-cambodia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2021tradeoffs, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Tradeoffs between climate change, irrigation and fish habitat in the Stung Chinit watershed, Cambodia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/tradeoffs-climate-change-stung-chinit-watershed-cambodia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }