Lancang River Dams: Threatening the Flow of the Lower Mekong

Date: 
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Lancang River Dams

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang in China, is the heart and soul of mainland Southeast Asia. While countries in the lower stretch of the river have yet to complete a dam on the mainstream Mekong, China has already built six dams on the Lancang. At least 14 more dams are in the pipeline to be completed in the next five to 10 years. Despite concerns over hydrological impacts, sedimentation, water security and fish migrations, China has yet to share any significant information on how the Lancang dams are affecting its downstream neighbors.