Hydropower Dams of China, Laos Pose Threat to Life on Mekong River: Experts

The construction of dozens hydropower dams on the mainstream Mekong River of China, Laos and Cambodia has had the largest impact on fishing and local livelihoods in the lower basin, said experts at a consultative seminar in Hanoi on Oct. 28. During the event, representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development examined reports on water resources, waterways, biodiversity, fisheries, agriculture and livelihoods in the region. According to reports, hydropower development in the mainstream river will reduce sediment by 50%-70% and bio-capacity by 30%-50%, making it vulnerable to river bank erosion and leading to a decline in farming and fisheries production. It also seriously harms the fish and aquatic life of the river in the region, including the Mekong dolphin, experts said. About 50-64 species of migratory fish in southern Cambodia and Vietnam, or 10% of the total, are at risk of extinction, experts said. Up to 33 species of white fish, or 40% of the total, are prone to death since their migration is blocked by large infrastructure, they noted. Participants asked for updated findings on the pros and cons of the hydropower construction to devise specific solutions. With a length of 4,880 kilometers, the Mekong River flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. China, Laos and Cambodia have been building numerous dams in the river. Due to the operation of existing Chinese hydropower plants, the Mekong Delta, the biggest granary in Vietnam, has suffered seriously this year as the delta has no floods this year. Experts predicted that local rice growers will have to spend more on irrigation, fertilizer and pesticides in the upcoming winter-spring rice crop. (Vietnam News Agency Oct 28)