Environment

Water quality degradation affects lower Mekong countries: forum

The 13th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Regional Stakeholder Forum (RSF), a platform for relevant parties to get updated on hydropower and other developments along the Mekong River — Southeast Asia’s largest river, was held in the Lao city of Luang Prabang on October 5.
Water quality degradation affects lower Mekong countries: forum ảnh 1At the 13th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Regional Stakeholder Forum (RSF). (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – The13th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Regional Stakeholder Forum (RSF), a platformfor relevant parties to get updated on hydropower and other developments alongthe Mekong River — Southeast Asia’s largest river, was held in the Lao city of LuangPrabang on October 5.

The event brought together representatives from MRCmember countries, namely Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, agenciesoperating in energy, environment, fishery and irrigation, among others, and theMRC’s dialogue partners – China and Myanmar, as well as the private sector and development partners of the MRC. 

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Truong HongTien, Permanent Deputy Chief of Office of the Vietnam National Mekong RiverCommittee.

The participants looked into a draft document on the situationof the Mekong River Basin, the main findings of which show that climate change has impacted the flow of the Mekong River, the average temperature on the entire basin has risen 1.4 degrees C over the past 50 yeears and the numbers of days with big and medium rains have decreased in countries in the region. 
According to the MRC’s 2023 report, the flow of theriver has changed significantly, higher than the average during the dry seasonand lower than the average level during the rainy season.

The lower flow in the rainy season has reduced the reversal flows in theTonle Sap Lake, leading to the increasing area of saltwater intrusion in the CuuLong (Mekong Delta) region. Besides, sediment loads at MRC’s monitoringstations have decreased remarkably, resulting in riverbank instability andcoastal erosion.

Experts said apart from changed flows, the qualityand volume of Mekong River downstream flows have also dropped, affectingagricultural production and aquaculture, especially in Vietnam’s Mekong Deltaregion.

Nguyen Nhan Quang, former deputy secretary general ofthe Vietnam National Mekong River Committee, stressed that the Mekong Delta facesmore severe erosions due to water quality degradation. In addition, fishing catches in the Khone Waterfall (at the border between Laos and Cambodia) and the Mekong Delta have reduced remarkably.

Anoulak Kittikhoun, CEO of the MRC Secretariat,pointed to challenges to lower Mekong countries, including impacts from rapid development and climate change, saying the MRC always encourages joint projects to handlethe problems./.
VNA
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