By: Bianca Sander
Lasagongma Spring near Mt. Guozongmucha, Tibetan Plateau
Yunnan Province
Myanmar/Laos border
Laos
Thailand/Laos border
Cambodia
Vietnam
South China Sea
www.aquaticcommunity.com
Economic Value
 Commercially 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
Jack Fruit
Rambutan
rambutan.com
rarefruit.org
Mangostan,
Thailand
Boat full of pineapple,
Thailand
Globalopportunity.se
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 dolphin
Orcaella brevirostris
 Critically vulnerable
 Lives in brackish coastal waters
 Mekong 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
Feeds on fish, eggs,
cephalopods, and
crustaceans
www.angkorcambodiaguide.com
Irrawaddy dolphins can be
found in conservation
aquariums, where they can
reproduce in a safe
environment while learning
tricks with other dolphins
Teakdoor.com
Mekong in danger: damming
 Drastically 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
habitat
 Reduced sedimentation puts the delta at further
risk of eroding into the sea
 Lower water levels are unfavorable to floating
communities and markets
www.savethemekong.org 2009
Existing:
Manwan
Dachaoshan
Jinghong
Xiaowan (2010)
Under Constructi0n:
Nuozhadu
Planned:
Gongguoqiao
Ganlaba
Mengsong
Pak Beng
Luang Prabang
Xayabouri
Pak Lay
Sanakham
Pak Chom
Ban Koum
Lat Sua
Don Sahong
Stung Treng
Sambor
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 River
 Infilling 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 Results
 General decrease in sediment discharge
 Lower average water levels
 Increased 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