Rivers and lakes

The Mekong

Earth’s largest freshwater creatures at risk of extinction

Some have survived for hundreds of millions of years, but many of the world’s freshwater megafauna—including sumo-sized stingrays, colossal catfish, giant turtles, and gargantuan salamanders—may soon find themselves on the brink of extinction, according to a new study published. For the first time, researchers have quantified the ...

Stefan Lovgren

Opinion: Mekong Region Needs to Overcome Drought Together

Drought, follows flood and storm, is among the most influential natural disasters in the world. According to 2018 publication on the International Disaster Database website, 16% of people affected by disasters in 2018 were affected by droughts. Over the past few decades, countries along the Lancang-Mekong ...

Dr. Liu Hui

China’s Push to Control the Mekong River a “Troubling Trend”

The United States has expressed concern over Chinese dam building, dredging and other activities on the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, calling them “troubling trends.” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with ministers from lower Mekong River countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The foreign ministers of ...

Damming the Mekong to environmental hell

Major dam construction projects have become a favourite pastime of some autocratic governments, with China leading the way. But, far from protecting against water shortages, as supporters promise, large dams are contributing to river depletion and severely exacerbating parched conditions. Nowhere is this more apparent ...

Brahma Chellaney

Mekong water level rising, but still very low

Water in the Mekong river in this northeastern border province is rising steadily, but the level is still very low compared to last year, local media reported. After months of being at a critical level, the water level in the Mekong river has risen, thanks to ...

Pattanapong Sripiachai

Mekong runs dry as politics, business fail local communities

“The most disastrous situation in history,” was one expert’s stark verdict when shown images of the dry Mekong River bed and dead aquatic animals. Dr Chainarong Setthachua, a lecturer and ecology expert at Maha Sarakham University, was at a loss when asked to describe the ...

Piyaporn Wongruang

Mekong River at its lowest in 100 years, threatening food supply

A severe drought that has caused water levels in Southeast Asia’s Mekong River to drop to their lowest in more than 100 years could have devastating consequences for fish, as well as the tens of millions of people living and working along the river, experts warn. The ...

Stefan Lovgren

Worrying days for the Mekong

Water levels at Southeast Asia’s largest river may be at its lowest levels in a century. Low rainfall, high temperatures and poor dam regulations are contributing to a historic low at the Mekong, affecting the region’s agriculture and fishing industries and leading to rapidly drying taps. Chinese ...

Jason Thomas

Missing Mekong waters rouse suspicions of China

By this time of year, the Mekong River should have been rising steadily with the monsoon rains, bringing fishermen a bounty of fat fish. Instead, the river water in Thailand has fallen further than anyone can remember and the only fish are tiny. Scientists and people living ...

Panu Wongcha-um

Record Mekong water shortage raises concern over Chinese dams

By this time of year, the Mekong River should have been rising steadily with the monsoon rains, bringing fishermen a bounty of fat fish. Instead, the river water in Thailand has fallen further than anyone can remember and the only fish are tiny. Scientists and people living ...

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