The Mekong River Commission (MRC) warned on December 12 that water levels in the Mekong River have become “worryingly low” due to the establishment of hydroelectric power plants and dams in the upper reaches of the river by mainland China, and called on Beijing and the countries through which the river flows to release their recorded hydrological data.
The MRC noted that the Mekong, an important waterway, has turned from red to blue along the border between Thailand and Laos. This means that the Mekong’s reduced water flow, lower water levels and consequent reduction in sediment levels are being attributed to the construction of the Jinghong Dam in Yunnan Province, which has restricted water flow. To add insult to injury, rainfall has also decreased recently, causing the Mekong’s water level to drop even further.
The MRC warns that “the water level downstream of the King Hung Dam has been fluctuating, and further downstream in the Laos capital, Yongjin, the water level is even lower. This affects not only fish migration, agriculture, transportation, but also the Food security of the 70 million people who make their living along the river.
The MRC calls on Beijing and the lower Mekong countries to share their water release plans with the MRC in order to help the lower Mekong countries manage their risks more effectively. If the mainland releases the large volume of water blocked by the Jinghong dam, normal water levels may be restored downstream. However, Beijing has so far not responded to this call.
According to the U.S.-funded Mekong Dam Monitor, satellite tracking of water levels also confirms that the amount of water released from the Jinghong Dam in February fluctuates from day to day.
In January 2020, Beijing notified its neighbors that the dams would store water and that the flow would return to normal levels on the 25th.
According to the MRC, outflows from the Jing Hong dam were about 785 cubic meters per second in early January and rose to 1,400 cubic meters in mid-January. However, the outflow dropped to 800 cubic meters per second in February, and Beijing has not been notified of any water storage in recent days.
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