mekong river water quality

In addition to providing water for populations in the highlands of southern China, the Mekong helps support some 60 million people downstream in Southeast Asia, where the river is a key component of agricultural production and economic development. Sediments are rich in nutrients for agriculture cultivation but they are one of the drinking water treatment problems also. Its flows along an estimated 4880 kilometers from the Tibetan plateau through China's Yunnan province to Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Red River Delta, Mekong River Delta and Northeast of Mekong (Dong Nam Bo) regions are characterized by dense river networks and abundant surface water resources. Mekong Delta Basin (MDB) is vulnerable to extreme climate and hydrological events. Journal of Vietnamese Environment. Tributaries and river reaches with high sedimentation are the Sebanghieng, Sedone, Nam Ou, and the upper and lower stretches of the Mekong (Water Sector Study, ADB, 1998). Mekong River Commission Secretariat, Vientiane, Lao PDR The Mekong River Commission (MRC) holds significant amounts of hydro-meteorological and water quality time-series data, and maintains networks for regular collection of historical and operational hydro-meteorological, and water quality data. 2004; Hoa et al. The authors concluded that surface water in the lower Mekong River basin in southwestern Vietnam was classified as moderate- to poor- quality, with high nutrient concentrations and dissolved solid . A set of national water quality criteria for drinking-water use as well as criteria for fish and aquatic life, and irrigation have been established (ESCAP, 1990). (Planet Labs with RFA analysis) Laotians and Thais who depend on the Mekong River for life's necessities — food, water, income — fear the mighty waterway may be drying up. Study area: Lower Mekong Basin. All surveys were completed at low annual water levels as referenced to nearby Mekong River Commis-sion streamflow-gaging stations. The Mekong River Commission (MRC), an entirely advisory body, was set up in 1995 between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and provides research, surveys and coordination of development on the management of water-related resources in the Lower Mekong Basin. The condition of the Mekong River will define the socioeconomic framework of entire communities in Laos. The Mekong River is one of the world's largest rivers, unparalleled in terms of its biodiversity and ecosystem services. The Mekong River is Southeast Asia's longest river, covering approximately 4,900 kilometers from its source in China's Tibetan Plateau to its mouth in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Only by examining community water sources, as well as groundwater, and even bottled water, can we begin to get a better picture of how to overcome the challenge of ensuring access to safe water. To compare direct water quality measurements to the perception of water quality within . The river basin is subject to seasonal flooding and water quality issues including acid sulfate soils and salinity intrusion. In the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB), clean water is critical. Prior to 1985, there was little systematic ambient water quality monitoring in any of the Mekong countries with the exception of Thailand. The objectives of this review are to understand of water related health effects exacerbated by climate change and the gaps of knowledge on the relationships between climate conditions, water quality, and water-related diseases in the MDB. WASHINGTON, Aug 29 2014 (IPS) - Large-scale dams are likely having a . Transboundary water quality issues in Mekong River iv Water Studies Centre, Monash University NSR Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd and human health effects in Chaktomuk, Tonle Sap River and the upper reaches of the Bassac River. From the Tibetan Plateau this river runs through China's Yunnan province, Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The water quality of rivers and lakes changes with the seasons and geographic areas. [23] Giao NT. Salinity intrusion is a major problem in the coastal parts of the delta (map 2 in Annex 2). In addition high concentrations of nitrogen com-pounds have been registered in bore holes in the Holocene aquifers. Rémi Camus expressed concern to Thanh Nien over the many people he encountered who seemed to drink from a river they dumped waste into every day. Under the Doi Moi (Renovation) process starting in 1986, agriculture and aquaculture production intensified rapidly partially through increased utilisation of agrichemicals such as . As in other regions, sufficient water quality is required to support diverse organisms, habitats, and ecosystems, but in the Mekong region, water quality has not been well studied. The main contribution of the MRC is a unified data collection system. It is Asia's third largest river in terms of length and sediment load 1.About 60 million people depend on this river for their livelihoods; however, the Mekong's water quality is degrading due to pollution driven by population increase, economic development . Unfortunately, water quality in the Mekong River is degraded , threatening the environment and the river-dependent people living in the lower basin. With a total length of 4,909 kilometers, the Mekong River is the most . In this study, eight sampling sites were selected to collect the bed sand samples along the mainstream of the Mekong River. Economical growth led to . It is called Lancang Jiang or Lan-ts'ang Chiang in China. (Planet Labs with RFA analysis) Laotians and Thais who depend on the Mekong River for life's necessities — food, water, income — fear the mighty waterway may be drying up. preparation (e.g. Hydropower, however, has had problematic effects on the water quality in Laos and neighboring countries. The routine monitoring and reporting of water quality are the main functions of the WQMN, which was established in 1985 with a In these regions rapid population growth, urbanization and industrialization, intensive agriculture, and water transport have resulted in worsening water quality and declining . The resource development and changes of hydrological regime, sediment and water quality in the Mekong River basin have attracted great attentions. The Mekong River basin has diverse drainage patterns, topography, and geomorphology, with the river basin divided into upper and . The Mekong River, which translates to "Mother of Water," is 12th in the world in terms of water discharging capacity, at 475 cubic kilometers per year. They say climate change… 2 It is however changing as the population is growing and the demand for water is increasing with a lack of effective safeguards. The MRC collects extensive hydrological, biodiversity, water quality, and economic data along the Mekong River. Its estimated length is 4,350 km and it drains an area of 795,000 km 2, discharging 457 km 3 of water annually. The use of zoobenthos for the assessment of water quality in canals influenced by landfilling and agricultural activity. A combination of drought and controversial upstream water politics is setting up Southeast Asia for potential disaster. Cambodia is located almost completely within the Mekong River Basin and has three major rivers (Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap) that are the main source of water for Phnom Penh .The Mekong River traverses six countries, has a diverse freshwater ecosystem, and supports the livelihood of approximately 70 million people living within the basin . Moreover, some families installed their toilets and/or pigs on the . The Lower Mekong River Delta (MD), in Vietnam, covers nearly 4 millions hectares and currently supports more than 17 million people living along main rivers and canals and other water bodies. So Nam, our Chief Environment Management Officer, to learn more about the recent. To develop this report, Georgia compares water quality data collected across the State against our Water Quality Standards using the State's Listing Assessment Methodology and places each water into one of three broad assessment categories; 1) supporting their designated use; 2) not supporting . A 2018 study suggests that the Mekong stocks could fall up to 40% as the result of dam projects. Improving access to clean water has the potential to make a major contribution toward poverty reduction in rural communities of Lao P.D.R. This unified data collection platform is important, as these data provide a way to accurately calibrate the future impact of any government programs. an imal production . Table 3.2 Comparison of water quality data in the Bassac River between 1985-2016 and 2017 (yellow colour marks non-compliance with WQGH or WQGA) 15 Table 3.3 Water quality class of the Mekong River (1-17) and Bassac River (18-22) for the protection of aquatic life 2008-2017 32 The Mekong River originates from the northeastern slope of Tanggula Mountain in China. Water quality in Laos is an essential part of life and development in the country. Endemic to the lower half of the Mekong River, this catfish is in danger of extinction due to overfishing, as well as the decrease in water quality due to development and upstream damming. However, since construction started on the Xayaburi Dam the water quality deteriorated significantly. Eleven water quality parameters were monitored at 38 different sites in Can Tho City, a Mekong Delta area of Vietnam from 2008 to 2012. Fishermen's boats on the Mekong River in northern Laos. The Mekong River and the Tonle Sap are essential for Cambodian hydrological system, and are the main resource for Cambodian protein supply, which is estimated to worth 2 billion USD annually. puddling), fertilizer and pesticide use, waste water release from. Every year, the Mekong River rises and falls in cycle with the rainy season, when a massive pulse of water driven by monsoon rains and Himalayan snow melt flows downstream. Water quality in Laos is an essential part of life and development in the country. The Mekong River Basin Study focuses on the specific characteristics of the indicator data and calculation in the Mekong River Basin. The water quality of the Mun River, one of the largest tributaries of the Mekong River and an important agricultural area in Thailand, is investigated to determine its status, identify . Studying Water Quality on the Mekong River. It is Asia's third largest river in terms of length and sediment load 1.About 60 million people depend on this river for their livelihoods; however, the Mekong's water quality is degrading due to pollution driven by population increase, economic development . • Routine water quality parameters Physico-chemical parameters . Use the time-series services to search . Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the 38 sampling sites into three clusters, representing mixed urban-rural areas, agricultural areas and industrial zone. 2007, module was carried out by . The MRC also investigated water quality of the Mekong River in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and concluded that for most observation points, water quality was moderate to good with respect to nutrients and metals. The Mekong River is a trans-boundary river system originating in Tibet and spanning China and five countries in Southeast Asia. Around 40 to 50 families are living and selling their production along the Mekong River in front of Sambour market. The left image shows a full Mekong River in January 2019, while on the right is the Mekong in January 2022. Additional spatial datasets can be found in the MRC Master Catalogue. The condition of the Mekong River will define the socioeconomic framework of entire communities in Laos. There have been extensive evaluations of water resources in the Mekong driven by the World Bank and the Mekong River Commission (Lu et al., 2014; Xue et al., 2012), but relatively few studies on water quality, although an extensive biophysical study was undertaken to provide empirical data and analysis (Campbell, 2009, Fan et al., 2015). scenarios for sea level rise and reduced river flow (e.g., The calibration process for the advection-dispersion Alcamo et al. Mekong River Water Quality Monitoring in Thailand. Cambodia Ecosystem Services Thursday, March 29, 2018. River flows aren't the only challenge facing the Mekong region. The river carries 250 million ton of sediment per year. Base Data/Data provided by Mekong River Commission and reproduced with permission. French man swims Mekong to highlight pollution. With their day to day activities, they are polluting the river water as they always throw waste in the river especially plastic waste. Water from Mekong river basin a lso helps irrigate approximately 4 million hectares of land. It drains six countries with its drainage basin spanning 795,000 square kilometers. The MRC online mapping service can be used to display frequently requested spatial datasets. Water quality can be thought of as a measure of the suitability of water for a particular use based on selected physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. An estimated 165 fish species in the Lower Mekong Basin migrate long distances during their life cycles. The Mekong River that is shared by six nations in Southeast Asia is one of the most complex river systems in the world ().It originates in the Tibetan Plateau in China and flows through Myanmar, Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Thailand, and Cambodia draining a ~795,000 km 2 watershed to the ocean at the Mekong Delta in Vietnam with an annual mean flow of ~15,000 km 3 /year []. The impacts of climate change on all these variables have been assessed across 24 river reaches ranging from the Himalayas down to the delta in Vietnam. countries on the water quality within the Mekong River delta will be based on joint studies and definitions of criteria for water use among riparian countries of the river. In 1985, in response to riparian concerns over potential water pollution and its transboundary implications, the Mekong River Committee, the forerunner of the MRC, commenced a water quality monitoring program in Laos, Viet Nam, and Thailand; Cambodia joined . Mekong Basin Water Resources Assessment iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study investigates how the climate is likely to change in the Mekong Basin by 2030, and quantifies the uncertainty around future climate projections. A French man completed his swim down the Mekong River in Vietnam this month, after a 4,400 kilometer aquatic journey that began on the China-Tibet border. At nearly 5,000 kilometers long, the Mekong River is one of Asia's most strategically important transboundary waterways. The river that flows into the Indo-China Peninsula is called the Mekong River. Many of these issues cross state borders and the data are clear: state unilateralism cannot solve transboundary problems. Dams are but one major pressure on ecosystems in the basin, where resource provision and water management are increasing and projected to worsen over the next several decades. Mekong communities are concerned about the boom in trafficking of persons, drugs, and wildlife. The left image shows a full Mekong River in January 2019, while on the right is the Mekong in January 2022. Across the Mekong, communities are concerned about infrastructure-linked debt and the predatory and opaque business practices of Beijing's state-owned actors. The data used were provided by the Mekong River Commission (MRC), under the Water Quality Monitoring Network Program. Mekong River Water Quality Monitoring in Thailand. Key identified challenges include: 1. Automated monitoring of water quality has been carried out using Hydrolab Datasonde 4a's and YSI datasondes at various locations on the Mekong, Tonle Sap, and Bassac Rivers and in the Tonle Sap Lake since 2004. Only by examining community water sources, as well as groundwater, and even bottled water, can we begin to get a better picture of how to overcome the challenge of ensuring access to safe water. Monitoring sites. The Mekong River originates from the northeastern slope of Tanggula Mountain in China. There are already 30 existing dams along the river, and an additional 134 hydropower projects are planned for the lower Mekong. The Mekong River is a trans-boundary river system originating in Tibet and spanning China and five countries in Southeast Asia. countries on the water quality within the Mekong River delta will be based on joint studies and definitions of criteria for water use among riparian countries of the river. Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act requires States to assess its water quality every two years. The majority of MRC's scientific data is time-series data, such as hydro-meteorological data, historical climate data and water quality data. Mekong River at its lowest in 100 years, threatening food supply. The main agricultural activities link ed to water pollution in the Mekong Delta are land. The Mekong is reeling from the combined onslaught of climate change, sand-mining, and incessant damming of the river, which combined to help cause the worst drought recorded in over 100 years in July. In this study, we assessed the influence of various land uses (LU) on 16 water quality parameters of the Mun River, a tributary of the Mekong River, at different scales. The main agricultural activities link ed to water pollution in the Mekong Delta are land. Based on biological and physical-chemical data collected over the last two decades, we . Credit: Irwin Loy/IPS. with the Mekong River were surveyed. Dams bring energy to underserved communities — but poorly planned and operated dams can also harm the health of the river, reducing water flows and water quality, and putting wildlife and people's livelihoods at risk. As well as, increasingly poor water quality. Locals stated that before the upstream dams were built they could safely drink the Mekong River water. This study focuses on stream water quality along a Mekong basin tributary, the Houay Xon that flows within a mountainous, mosaic land-use catchment of northern Lao P.D.R. puddling), fertilizer and pesticide use, waste water release from. These water statistics are used for: The monitoring program has begun in 1985 in Laos-Vietnam-Thailand and in 1995 in Cambodia [].So far there are a total of 132 monitoring sites including 33 newer sites established in the 2000s and 99 older sites established before 1995. The economy of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta is based mainly on agriculture which is in turn heavily relying on the availability of fresh water of good quality. of the lower Mekong River and selected tributaries. Continuous Water Quality Monitoring at the Chaktomuk Junction and Tonle Sap Lake. With the pressure of rapid demographic growth, socio-economic development and urbanization, however, the water quality is increasingly exposed to deterioration. 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