Despite Seasonal Floods Now, Experts See Risk of Mekong Drying Up

RFA – Two leading experts on water issues in Asia warn that parts of Vietnam’s fertile southernmost areas bordering Southeast Asia’s longest river, the Mekong, are in danger of drying up. At the same time, they say, much of the Mekong is still flooded from seasonal monsoon rains. And citizens in places such as Pakse, the second most populous city in Laos, confront dangerous Read More…

Start of Latest Mekong Dam Draws Fears of River’s ‘Tipping…

VOA – Critics of the 1,285-megawatt Xayaburi hydropower dam in northern Laos fear recent upgrades to the controversial project won't be enough to save the Mekong River from a critical tipping point when it starts churning out electricity at full throttle next month. After seven years of construction, it will be the first of 11 dams planned for the river south of China — which has built Read More…

Water festival set for November 10-12

The Phnom Penh Post – Thousands of visitors are expected to throng Phnom Penh on November 10-12 for this year’s Water Festival after the National Committee for Organising National and International Festivals announced the dates for this year’s festivities. A letter announcing this year’s dates signed by Minister of Royal Palace Kong Sam Ol on Monday was obtained by The Post on Read More…

Mekong water levels close to emergency

The Phon Penh Post – Authorities urged residents living along the Mekong River in Stung Treng, Kratie and Kampong Cham provinces to be vigilant as water levels rise perilously close to meriting an emergency declaration. On Sunday, water levels in Stung Treng province were just 20cm shy of an emergency declaration – reaching 10.5m. In Kratie province, a water level of 22m requires an Read More…

The dangerous state of the world’s large river basins

Geographical – In the half-light of morning sunrise on the banks of the Dhaleshwari River, Bangladesh, a woman dressed in a bright blue sari carefully leads her young daughter into the water. She hopes the waters will provide them with a place to wash and cleanse themselves afresh for the coming day. Yet to reach the water’s edge, she has had to clamber down the eroding riverbank made Read More…

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta needs logistics investment, say officials

The Phnom Penh Post – A trade representative has called for the construction of more deep-water ports in the Mekong River Delta to save money and time for seafood exporters. Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said the move would allow firms to directly export their goods. Most of the Mekong Delta’s export Read More…

‘Natural disasters fuel environmental degradation’

Sci Dev Net – Authorities are focusing on new technologies to prepare for and respond to natural disasters in Asia Pacific that are becoming more intense, uncertain and complex, according to a UN report released Thursday (22 August). Recent cyclones, floods and droughts in the region, as well as disasters triggered by rising global temperatures, have not followed past patterns, making Read More…

Transforming the textile sector’s approach to water

Web Wire – WWF has been driving the adoption and implementation of Water Stewardship in the textile sector since 2011. With the support of international brands and local partners, WWF has established water stewardship projects in several countries, including China, India, Vietnam and Turkey. The brochures on this page will help other companies and countries to learn from these flagship Read More…

UN warns Mekong River is a disaster hotspot

Khaoso – The Mekong River basin was identified as a major disaster risk hotspot by the United Nations today. Poor people living close to the river suffer high exposure to flood and drought, according to a report released today. A UN official also called for the nations in the region to work and mitigate the risks together. “The flow of river is a transboundary issue,” Tiziana Read More…

Solutions sought in water stocking in Mekong Delta

Vietnam Plus – The Mekong Delta region is in an urgent need for an inter-sectoral and comprehensive solution in water reserving, especially in years with drought, stated Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh on August 22. Addressing a conference in Hanoi, Thanh further noted that researches and projects in the field have been conducted in a small scale without Read More…