Publication Details

Blueprint for Lakes and Reservoir Research and Development in Malaysia

This blueprint aims to set research goals and objectives, timelines, and identify major disciplinary thrusts (based on primary and cross cutting thrusts), spatial foci and research programme for the integrated lake R&D towards sustainable management of lakes. The lake blueprint was developed based on the outcome of the consultative process with various stakeholders in 2014. In this blueprint, lake is defined as an inland body of water with a surface area exceeding 1 ha. A total of 98 lakes have been identified to date with a total surface area of 185,280 ha. These lakes serve various functions such as generating hydroelectricity, domestic and industrial water supply, irrigation, flood mitigation, fishing and aquaculture activities, as well as recreation and tourism. Amongst the major challenges and issues in Lake and Reservoir Management that necessitates an in-depth and collaborative research are: i. Eutrophication; ii. Siltation and sedimentation; iii. Alien invasive species; iv. Fragmentation of governance mechanisms caused by state/federal jurisdictions as well as institutional mandates; v. Unsustainable landscape alteration within the lake catchment; vi. Absence of integrated management plans for lakes and reservoirs; vii. Lack of awareness among administrators and public on total resource value of lakes, the potential revenue streams that lakes can generate, and the need for on-going monitoring regimes and integrated management plans; and viii. Ecologically unfriendly designs of dams. Seven research themes or clusters were identified upon which research projects are to be based: i. Governance; ii. Ecosystem Services and Socio-economic; iii. Pollution and Water Quality; iv. Eco-hydrology and Basin Management; v. Biodiversity and Natural Products; vi. Physical Limnology and Hydrodynamics; and vii. Sustainable Technology. The overarching goal of this blueprint is to promote comprehensive R&D that contributes better understanding of lakes and reservoirs to enable them to be managed sustainably towards conservation and development goals, and their benefits optimized in the interests of the nation. The research time frame of this blueprint span over a period of 10 years and is divided into three phases namely Phase 1: up to 3 Years (short-term), Phase 2: 3-7 Years (medium-term) and Phase 3: 7-10 Years (long term).