Cambodia Catalyzes Protection of Over 1600 Water Reservoirs Through Extensive Land Registration Effort

• Proeksa Meas
• 27 June 2026
• Local News
• 92 Views

Minister Thor Chetha pushes for accelerated mapping of public water infrastructure to safeguard state conservation zones and prevent encroachment

Cambodia has formally documented a total of 1,659 water reservoirs across the nation as of the second quarter of 2026, representing a major milestone in the country’s ongoing effort to secure its vital hydrological infrastructure. The comprehensive statistical breakdown was presented by Thor Chetha, the Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology, who presided over a specialized review meeting on June 17, 2026, dedicated to evaluating the nationwide registration of reservoir lands.

The ministry’s latest assessment reveals a multi-tiered progress report for the country’s 1,659 water basins. To date, official registration has been fully finalized for 230 reservoirs, resulting in the issuance of 281 formal property titles. For the remaining assets, 433 locations have already seen formal requests submitted for boundary surveying, 248 locations are currently undergoing active surveying and measurement processes, and 482 sites are currently in the final administrative phase, waiting to receive their official certificates of immovable property ownership. Meanwhile, there are 266 locations where measurement requests have not yet been introduced into the system.

Minister Thor Chetha highly valued the successful outcomes achieved in reservoir land registration over the past two years. He emphasized the critical need to accelerate these operations to legally establish these water bodies as public property. According to the minister, fast-tracking this initiative is crucial because it provides unambiguous legal clarity, drawing a sharp distinction between private land holdings and state-owned or ministry-protected conservation zones.

This systematic mapping initiative operates under a clear legal mandate established on May 12, 2025, when the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology issued Decision Number 017. This directive formed a dedicated task force tasked with leading and expediting the registration of water storage reservoirs and irrigation dams. The institutional framework utilizes four localized executive working groups operating across various provinces and capitals, with the Department of Water Resources Management and Conservation serving as the central secretariat.

Ultimately, the acceleration of this registry serves a dual purpose for Cambodia’s long-term development. Beyond streamlining the administrative issuance of property certificates, the initiative is building an official, comprehensive national database geared toward the sustainable management and long-term protection of the country’s aquatic assets, thereby effectively blocking unauthorized land grabbing and encroachment.

• MOWRAM
• Water reservoir