Mekong River And Threats From Dam Construction

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Special Report: Mekong River and Threats from Dam Construction

The majestic Mekong River, which has been serving as the main artery for people living in the Indochina Peninsula, is now facing serious ecological threats from the planned construction of several dams along its reaches. Despite an outpour of public opposition, chances of stopping the projects remain uncertain.

Originating from the Tibetan Plateau, the Mekong River stretches 4,909 kilometers through Yunnan province in southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Ranking twelfth among the world’s longest rivers and seventh in Asia, the river releases 475 cubic kilometers of water each year into the South China Sea and is home to more than 1,200 fish species, including the endangered Mekong giant catfish which is the largest freshwater fish in the world.

The Lower Mekong River Basin alone, covering Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, has a population of roughly 62 million, whose lives depend on the river mainly for consumption, agriculture, fishery and transportation. However, their way of life is about to face major changes stemming from a mega-hydropower project, which features construction of 12 dams on the mainstream, comprising 7 in Laos, 3 on the Thai-Lao border and 2 in Cambodia. According to the schedule, Xayaburi Dam of Laos is the first to be built and the construction process is set to commence within this year.

Prior to the construction of Xayaburi Dam, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), which was formed by the Lower Mekong nations in 1995 to oversee mutual management of the river and ensure sustainable development of the region, has been conducting the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) as required by the 1995 Mekong Agreement to gather opinions from the four member states for forming a consensus on whether Laos’ project should be proceeded.

On Thailand’s part, three consultative meetings have been held and 16 main points of concern regarding Xayaburi Dam have been obtained from the public, including effects on fishery and fish population, sedimentation, obstruction to river navigation, changes of the current, cross-border impacts, evacuation of local residents and undisclosed details of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) by the project operator.

The hydropower facility, to operate with the run-of-river system, could pose grave danger to aquatic lives as the stream would be forced to flow in a staircase motion, instead of flowing freely, causing difficulties to fish migration and reproduction and possibly driving endangered species to extinction.

Deeming the timeframe for the public hearing process during October 2010-April 2011 inadequate, Thailand has requested Laos to allow six more months for acquiring additional opinions towards the dam construction. Although the majority of responses from the people had been less than supportive of the construction of Xayaburi Dam, the call for an extended consultative process was rejected.

China, on the other hand, has built three out of eight dams in its hydropower project on the Upper Mekong River. However, significant environmental impacts from the upstream dams have become evident, such as soil erosion, destruction of fish feeding and breeding grounds, slowdown of the river flow and damages on the fishery industry. They were also claimed to be responsible for the record-low water levels in downstream nations in 2010.

Unless popular opposition to further construction of dams on the Mekong River is heeded, the environmental depletion in the region will worsen and the future of the river’s dependents will be put on the line.

-- NNT 2011-02-21

[Robby nz]

No chance of stopping China they will do whatever they want.

As well as building dams I believe they have also blasted several of the rapids to attempt to make the river navagatable.

If china continue which is inevatable then Laos have a good case for building dams also.

If what I read is correct the downstream effects in the delta and elswhere could lead to famine in the regeion.

I believe there is also plans to dam some of the tributies.

Electric power or food that appears to be the choice.