Synthesis of Management Measures for Water Resource Sustainability and Resilient Society: A Case Study of Mae Klong Watershed Through Four Decade Evidences

Watersheds in tropical countries recently face problems either quantitative or qualitative aspects due to climate impacts and anthropogenic sources. Well-prepared adaptive measures and related guidelines are needed in order to maintain resource productivity and enhance utilization sustainability for our future well-being society. In Thailand, Mae Klong watershed has a large catchment area of 30,171 square kilometers covering nine provinces. The watershed possesses comparatively higher slope, with upstream areas in high mountains in western Thailand, and several lower-reach river channels flowing into estuarine zones along the Upper Gulf of Thailand. Plenty of river channels and small creeks provide remarkable nourished ecosystems. In particular, the lower reach in Samut Songkram province has channel structures that have long been well-utilized for community transportation and horticultural productions. Consideration on increasing problems of flood disasters and water quality deteriorations, development of suitable measures and related action plans for remediation and sustainable management of water resources is needed. Thus, integrated science–social research project has been initiated since 2021. The project methodology was performed through analysis of academic information during the past forty years, interviews of related stakeholders, opened-panel meetings among community leaders, and holistic synthesis for effective management approach. During the project platform, adaptive and alternation approaches for management of water problems (i.e., floods, water quality deterioration, and marine water intrusions) were discussed and analyzed. Accordingly, measures for water resource sustainability and resilient society were synthesized and proposed through integrated implementation techniques of Downstream, Bottom-up, and Parallel Management Approaches. In the overall views of the research, area-based sensitive indicators should be carefully considered and further developed. Moreover, enhancement of “Awareness on Worth of Ecosystem Sustainability” was considered to be critical necessary to achieve community cooperation, stakeholder responsibility, and also society well-being.