Interview: N.Munkhbayar “Herders monitor water level of their hand-wells”

– In perspective, they will measure and monitor headwater of their wells as well as annual precipitation in their area –

Interviewed N.Munkhbayar, Participatory Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Officer of Oyu Tolgoi LLC.

Tell us about the Participatory Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Programme?
The Environmental Department of Oyu Tolgoi LLC regularly monitor water, flora, fauna, dust and noise to assess the environmental impact of the mine. From this data, the mine identifies future actions and regularly briefs government departments. Up until 2011 this information was not shared with the local residents and herders. Now, to keep residents and herders up to date Oyu Tolgoi has implement the Participatory Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Programme. Oyu Tolgoi is working in cooperation with local residents collecting and sharing information about water, pastureland and fauna. In the future we are planning to launch a dust monitoring programme in cooperation with local residents.

How do the local residents receive this information? Does this work require the use of specific tools and equipment? How is this done?
The Participatory Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, in cooperation with local communities, is already conducted in other mines in the Rio Tinto company. The monitoring is also an expectation or our government Environmental Department. Oyu Tolgoi proposed to cooperate with a number of herders to launch this programme. Some herders who were not involved in the programme expressed their desire to work with us and participate in the Participatory Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, this shows herders understand significance of this programme. Oyu Tolgoi LLC provide the herders with the monitoring equipment: GPS locators, cameras, tape measures, measuring tables, and recording manuals.

What is the result of the programme?
This is a new programme, not currently implemented by other mining companies in Mongolia. We have a lot to learn and study and Mongolian herders are gaining skills in this process. Traditional Mongolian herding methods are based on observation of the natural environment and seasonal phenomena. Herders are used to monitoring and observing water. All their lives, herders observe water well levels, pastureland, wild life movement and they notice changes. Up until now those observations have been informal and not scientifically recorded. By implementing the participatory monitoring programme, we are able to identify causes of changes in water levels, numbers of animals and pastureland yields. The Participatory Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, cooperating with herders, is a long-term project to be implemented for many years. Herders are formally recording changes to pastureland, water levels, and fauna populations; caused by the natural environment, climate and human factors. Together we are able to create basic data and information for herders to plan effective pasture use and environmental protection.

Gobi people say water is a precious treasure. What kind water monitoring and analysis is being done?
Today herders are monitoring and measuring the water levels of their hand-operated wells. We are also planning to measure water well sources and precipitation. The Oyu Tolgoi water monitoring programme will monitor a total of 356 water points in Khanbogd, Manlai, Bayan-Ovoo soums of Umnugobi aimag; on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.

Can you tell us how herders are monitoring their water wells?
Hand-operated water wells, directly dependent on rain precipitation, make up most of pastureland water supply sources in Gobi. Today, 20 herders of Khanbogd soum of Umnugobi aimag monitor 26 hand-operated water wells along the Gunii Hooloi deep water aquifer, the road to Gashuun Sukhait border point and the Undai river basin. The herders use special measuring tapes and recording sheets. Water levels are measured before and after watering the animals. The measurement data is consolidated on a quarterly basis and the Oyu Tolgoi project water specialists compare the herders data with their own data, analyse it and deliver the findings to the herders.

How satisfied are the herders with the outcomes of this work? Previously they were just hearing about the results of the monitoring work?
The objective of this programme is to involve the herders in the environmental activities of Oyu Tolgoi and to make the results of environmental monitoring available to them. This information is needed by the herders themselves, so they are very satisfied. Monitoring is the basis of planning water well construction, pastureland usage and protection of wild life. Herders already know so much about their local area, so by combining scientific methods with their traditional knowledge and understanding, they can voice their concerns and opinions to decision-makers and financiers of environmental projects. As for Oyu Tolgoi, not only are water specialists from the mine monitoring the water reserves of Khanbogd soum, the local herders are also contributing. This is major step to improving mutual trust.

Gobi does not have many open water sources like the steppe-mountainous region. What is Oyu Tolgoi’s water policy?
Oyu Tolgoi LLC aims to be a good neighbour for local community and fulfill our corporate responsibility. As well as rehabilitating the few water wells impacted by the construction phase of the Oyu Tolgoi, the mine has been working with the local government, herders and the soum pastureland management NGO to improve water supply for all pasturelands of the Khanbogd soum. Under this project, about 20 hand-operated water wells have been rehabilitated. Five of this 20 wells were not in use in recent years, they were either damaged or buried. The other 15 wells had low water levels and quality issues due to the deteriorated water permeability of the wells. As a direct result of the rehabilitation work, water levels of all wells has been restored to sufficient levels.

The water well technology was almost forgotten. The water well rehabilitation project is expensive and labour intensive. Does this work bring benefit to livelihood of herders?
A tradition which was almost forgotten in the Gobi has been restored. Many years ago, when the socialist regime was in power, the hand-operated water wells of herders were repaired by the public. We are focusing on the benefits rather than cost. There is an immense positive economic impact – many households and livestock can utilise one water well, improving pastureland management. We are planning to improve the pastureland water supply in stages. We will achieve this by increasing the numbers of hand-operated and drilled water wells each year.