By: Bianca Sander

www.aquaticcommunity.com

Lasagongma Spring near Mt. Guozongmucha, Tibetan Plateau

Yunnan Province

Myanmar/Laos border

Laos

Thailand/Laos border

CambodiaVietnam

South China Sea

Economic ValueCommercially worth

$2billion

80% of the animal protein for the 60 million people living in the basin (World Wildlife Foundation 2011).

The Mekong River is capable of producing 2,500,000 million tons of fish a year (Hogan 2011).

Floating fish farm on the Mekong River, Vietnam

People living in the floating villages on the Mekong River rely on the fish supply for survival

Biodiversity of the Mekong River Watershed

•Vegetation•Land Animals•Aquatic Animals

Lotus Field, Cambodia

Carnivorous Pitcher Plant(www.wwf.panda.org)

Coconuts, Vietnam

Rambutan rambutan.com

Jack Fruit rarefruit.org

Globalopportunity.seMangostan, Thailand

Boat full of pineapple, Thailand

Young Elephant, Thailand

Elephant Reserve, Thailand

Rhesus Macaque,Cambodia

Monitor lizard,Thailand

Water fowl,Vietnam

Stork Gardens,Vietnam

At least 1,300 species of freshwater fish (World Wildlife Foundation 2011)

The 'sucker' fish (Oreoglanis)(www.wwf.panda.org)

Mekong river of Thailand by British fisherman Ian Welch. Its massive body was 7ft long and 7ft wide, with a tail measuring 10ft. After DNA was taken for testing this pregnant female was released back into the wild.

Mekong Giant Catfish Pangasianodon gigas/paucidens

World’s largest scale-less freshwater fish

95% population drop over the last century (National Geographic, 2011)

Endemic from the delta all the way to the Yunnan Province.Are now reported only in the main

Mekong, no longer found in smaller tributaries or Tonle Sap

National Geographic 2011

Extremely overfished and are now “protected” by legislation in the Golden Triangle region.

Irrawaddy dolphinOrcaella brevirostris

Critically vulnerable Lives in brackish coastal watersMekong freshwater sub-population

estimated at 127 individuals in 2005; may now be as few as 86 individuals (Beasley 2011).listed as critically endangered in the wild

Worldwide population ~7,000

www.angkorcambodiaguide.com

Feeds on fish, eggs, cephalopods, and crustaceans

Teakdoor.com

Irrawaddy dolphins can be found in conservation aquariums, where they can reproduce in a safe environment while learning tricks with other dolphins

Mekong in danger: dammingDrastically affect quality and quantity of

fish available for consumption.Many fish, such as the Mekong Giant

Catfish, travels upstream to spawn. Lower water levels downstream reduces

fish habitatReduced sedimentation puts the delta at

further risk of eroding into the seaLower water levels are unfavorable to

floating communities and markets

Existing:ManwanDachaoshanJinghongXiaowan

(2010)Under Constructi0n:

NuozhaduPlanned:

GongguoqiaoGanlabaMengsongPak BengLuang

PrabangXayabouriPak LaySanakhamPak ChomBan KoumLat SuaDon SahongStung TrengSambor

www.savethemekong.org 2009

Dachaoshan Dam Museumstuff.com

Xiaowan Dam Chinadaily.com.cn

Lu, X.X. and R.Y. Siew, 2005 Water discharge and sediment flux changes

in the Lower Mekong RiverInfilling of the Manwan reservoir in 1992

has disrupted water discharge and sediment transportation.

Extremely low water levels in the Mekong may be a result of cascade damming in China.

Discharge and sediment flux was analyzed at various gauging stations along the Mekong River downstream of the Manwan Dam.

Trend shows the variation in downstream sediment concentration from before to after the Manwan dam was constructed. Sites closer to the dam shower higher before-after variability than sites further downstream.

Lu and Siew 2005 ResultsGeneral decrease in sediment discharge Lower average water levelsIncreased daily water fluctuation for sites

downstream of Manwan Dam in China.

These changes are relatively minimal at this time and only significantly affect sites nearer to the dam.

They may become detrimental to the Mekong ecosystem as time passes and more dams are built along the Mekong in China and Thailand.

Thank You! Any Questions?

Mekong River sunset, Louang Prabang, Laos www.everywheremag.com