Threat to the Mekong River is Critical, Critics Say
It is starting to appear that nothing can save the 800,000 sq. km Mekong River basin, which provides vital sustenance for as many as 100 million people, from environmental depredation from dams all along the 4,350 km length of the mighty river that feeds it.
Over the objections of the Mekong River Commission, the Laotian government in July committed to the construction of a fifth dam on the river, making flows and levels more unpredictable and threatening the fish and wildlife on which the population depend.
From record lows in June and July to major flooding in parts of the basin in August and September, hydropower dams have exacerbated the impacts on the river and people. Large-scale dams, especially those planned for the Mekong mainstream, are a significant cause of – not the answer to – the Mekong crisis, environmentalists say.
