The Mekong River of Southeast Asia rises on the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and flows SSE for more than 2700 miles to its delta on the South China Sea. From its source, more than 17,000 feet above sea level, the Upper Mekong drops through steep, narrow canyons in China's Yunnan Province; by the time it leaves China and becomes a slower, wider river, meandering through a broad floodplain, the Mekong has dropped more than 14,000 feet.
The Lower Mekong flows along and/or through five countries: Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Crossing its subtropical and tropical corridor, this portion of the Mekong has produced and sustained one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on our planet. Renowned for its large fish species, the primary channel and its tributaries support rich wetlands, vital to a spectacular variety of aquatic plant and animal life; seasonal flooding along the Mekong has played an essential role in the evolution and ongoing welfare of this riverine ecosystem.
While four dams stretch across the Upper Mekong, in China, the Lower Mekong has, to date, not been channelized or dammed. Nevertheless, hydroelectric dams have been constructed on many of its tributaries and, despite the establishment of the Mekong River Commission (in 1995) and the efforts of regional and international conservation organizations, plans are moving along for at least a dozen dams on the Lower Mekong. Spurred on by the financial benefits of hydroelectric power (to be consumed primarily in Thailand and India), the countries of Southeast Asia are tempted to overlook the impact of these dams on the ecology and culture of their region. International Rivers, listed with other conservation organizations in the right column of this blog, has been highly involved in the struggle to protect the Lower Mekong and your support is encouraged.
