Surface water
Rivers and lakes
Chinese dam discharge affects Mekong in Chiang Rai
The volume of water in the Mekong River has risen rapidly following discharges from a dam in Yunnan province in southern China, but the impact on the actual water level is in dispute. Keep reading ...
Chinpat Chaimon
Forget the South China Sea, this is Asia’s real water war
While tensions in the South China Sea have the potential for limited skirmishes far out to sea, the competition over the resources of the Mekong River is putting millions at risk of natural disasters, famine and regional instability. The Mekong River provides a vital lifeline ...
Pollution causes mass fish deaths in Cà Mau
Polluted water may be a reason for the mass fish deaths in Đầm Dơi District in southernmost Cà Mau Province, the province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment said on Wednesday.Keep reading ...
JICA helps build circulars on water environment management
Experts from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) have assisted the Việt Nam Environment Administration (VEA) in building circulars on water environment management in river basins.Keep reading ...
Thuận Hòa Hydropower Plant starts commercial operation
Thuận Hòa Hydropower Joint Stock Company and Hà Giang Province’s People’s Committee has jointly inaugurated a power plant on the Miện River.Keep reading ...
Hydropower dams, water diversion threaten Mekong Delta's water security
Scientists have once again raised their concerns about water security in the Mekong Delta, saying that hydropower dams on the Mekong River’s upper course as well as Thailand, Laos and Cambodia’s plans to divert the river are the biggest threats. Le Anh Tuan, deputy head ...
A rising chorus of voices condemns Laos’ planned Pak Beng dam
A damning review of plans for the controversial Pak Beng hydropower dam on the Mekong River in Laos was released this week by US-based advocacy group International Rivers, adding weight to calls for the project to be halted until new impact assessment studies are completed.The ...
Governor halts work on coal railway being built without permits in Indonesian Borneo
After coming under public scrutiny, Central Kalimantan Governor Sugianto Sabran halted the construction of a railroad being built to transport coal through forested areas of the province. The governor’s decision followed a May 21 report by Mongabay’s Indonesian sister site, which documented that the developers ...
The Mekong and the battle for the ‘Mother of Rivers’
For wildlife enthusiasts in the region, these are exciting times. A horned lizard and rainbow-headed snake were among 163 delightful new species documented last year by scientists alongside 10 endangered Irrawaddy dolphin calves. Fewer than 90 Irrawaddy dolphins exist on the planet.But all is not ...
Meet the activists risking life and limb to protect rivers
In late March of this year, an unusual group of activists gathered in Tbilisi, Georgia for a four-day conference to strategize around stopping destructive hydropower projects across the globe. Hailing from countries as diverse as Chile, Congo, Albania, Mongolia, China, Thailand, and Colombia, they had ...
