A man rides his machine boat along the Tonle Sap Lake in Kampong Khleang, passing floating houses on silts. (Photo: Mekong River Commission)Vientiane (VNA) - Six Mekong countries have been urged to addressregional low water flows as the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) endures recordlows for the second consecutive year, according to a Mekong River Commission (MRC) report.
The MRC’s Situation Report, which exploreshydrological conditions in the LMB during January-July 2020, preliminarilyidentifies multiple possible causes of the low flows and drought this year.Among these are abnormal low rainfall affected by the El Nino weatherphenomenon, prolonged low flow conditions carried over from 2019, and lowerwater flow contributions from the Mekong tributaries.
The low flows have caused Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake toexperience “extremely dry conditions”, with reverse flows at their lowest onrecord since 1997.
Using available monitoring, rainfall and weather datafrom the MRC and other global sources, the report adds that operations of themainstream dams in the Upper Mekong Basin and the tributary dams in the LMB mayhave affected the present low flow conditions. However, the MRC Secretariat hasbeen unable to obtain official data and information to verify the potentialimpacts of storage operations in the upper basin.
“We call on the six Mekong countries to increase dataand information sharing on their dam and water infrastructure operations in atransparent and speedy manner with the MRC. It is time to walk the talk and toact in the common interest of the entire Mekong River Basin and the affectedcommunities,” said An Pich Hatda, the MRC Secretariat’s Chief ExecutiveOfficer.
The 32-page long report points out that the currentlow flows could have severe impacts on Cambodia due to a loss of fisheries andirrigation potential. Vietnam may experience reduced productivity in the Deltarice bowl, and agricultural productivity in Lao and Thailand may also beaffected.
The report suggests that the MRC member countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, should request hydropower operators andirrigation operators to adjust their near-term operations and monitor potentialbank erosion.
If the low flows persist, according to the report, thefour countries should consider requesting China to discharge a “watersupplement”, as they did in 2016, to relieve the situation in the LMB,especially during the upcoming dry season./.
The MRC’s Situation Report, which exploreshydrological conditions in the LMB during January-July 2020, preliminarilyidentifies multiple possible causes of the low flows and drought this year.Among these are abnormal low rainfall affected by the El Nino weatherphenomenon, prolonged low flow conditions carried over from 2019, and lowerwater flow contributions from the Mekong tributaries.
The low flows have caused Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake toexperience “extremely dry conditions”, with reverse flows at their lowest onrecord since 1997.
Using available monitoring, rainfall and weather datafrom the MRC and other global sources, the report adds that operations of themainstream dams in the Upper Mekong Basin and the tributary dams in the LMB mayhave affected the present low flow conditions. However, the MRC Secretariat hasbeen unable to obtain official data and information to verify the potentialimpacts of storage operations in the upper basin.
“We call on the six Mekong countries to increase dataand information sharing on their dam and water infrastructure operations in atransparent and speedy manner with the MRC. It is time to walk the talk and toact in the common interest of the entire Mekong River Basin and the affectedcommunities,” said An Pich Hatda, the MRC Secretariat’s Chief ExecutiveOfficer.
The 32-page long report points out that the currentlow flows could have severe impacts on Cambodia due to a loss of fisheries andirrigation potential. Vietnam may experience reduced productivity in the Deltarice bowl, and agricultural productivity in Lao and Thailand may also beaffected.
The report suggests that the MRC member countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, should request hydropower operators andirrigation operators to adjust their near-term operations and monitor potentialbank erosion.
If the low flows persist, according to the report, thefour countries should consider requesting China to discharge a “watersupplement”, as they did in 2016, to relieve the situation in the LMB,especially during the upcoming dry season./.
VNA
