New Mekong dams to affect millions in Vietnam

Summary

The Mekong River in southern Vietnam faces a crisis due to insufficient freshwater flow, allowing saltwater intrusion from the ocean. Unpredictable weather, El Niño, and climate change contribute to the problem, while dams in China and Laos exacerbate it by retaining water. Laos is building dams on the Mekong's main stream, ignoring Vietnam's call for a construction halt. The lack of transparency and the impact on local communities, especially fishermen and farmers, is concerning. The Mekong Delta, Vietnam's rice bowl, may see a 10% drop in exports due to saltwater intrusion, with some areas experiencing a 30% decrease in production. The Vietnamese government labels the event a 'once in a century disaster,' raising fears that it could become a recurring issue with more dams in operation.

Takeaways

• 🌊 The Mekong River in southern Vietnam is a vital waterway with the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta, attracting commerce from the surrounding region.
• 🚧 The river system, crucial for supporting millions, is facing a crisis due to insufficient freshwater flow, leading to saltwater intrusion from the ocean.
• 🌡️ Unpredictable weather patterns, including El Niño, and climate change are contributing factors to the river's issues.
• 🏭 Countries like China and Laos are implicated in exacerbating the problem by retaining too much water in dams.
• 🔨 Laos is constructing at least 9 dams on the Mekong's main stream, with many more on its tributaries, which Vietnam has unsuccessfully called to halt.
• 🤔 A lack of transparency in dam construction deals raises concerns among opponents about the long-term consequences.
• 😔 The people living on the Delta, particularly small-scale fishermen and farmers, are the ones suffering the most from these changes.
• 📉 The Delta, known as Vietnam's rice bowl, may see a 10% drop in exports this year due to the negative impact of saltwater intrusion on agriculture.
• 🌾 Farmers in the affected areas are experiencing significant crop losses, with some areas seeing a 30% decrease in production.
• 🛑 Farmers are being forced to abandon rice cultivation due to the difficulty of growing it in salty conditions, turning to more salt-resistant crops like pineapple.
• 🆘 The Vietnamese government has declared the saltwater intrusion a once-in-a-century disaster, highlighting the severity of the situation.
• ⚠️ There is a fear that this year's disaster may not be an isolated event and could become more frequent with the continued operation of dams, changing the river's natural flow and sedimentation patterns.

Q & A

What is the Mekong River's significance in southern Vietnam?

The Mekong River is vital to southern Vietnam as it supports millions of people and hosts the largest floating market on the Mekong Delta, attracting buyers and sellers from around the region.

What issue is the Mekong River system facing currently?

The Mekong River system is facing a lack of fresh water flow, which has allowed saltwater intrusion from the ocean, affecting the livelihoods of millions of people and the environment.

What are some of the reasons behind the insufficient fresh water flow in the Mekong River?

Reasons for the insufficient fresh water flow include unpredictable weather patterns, El Niño, climate change, and the retention of water by dams in countries like China and Laos.

What is Laos doing regarding the Mekong River that has raised concerns?

Laos is constructing dams on the Mekong River, with the first of at least nine dams on the main stream and many more on tributaries, which has raised concerns about transparency and the impact on the river's ecosystem and people.

What was Vietnam's stance on the dam construction on the Mekong River's main stream?

Vietnam had called for a ten-year moratorium on mainstream dam construction, but this call was ignored.

Why are opponents of the dam construction concerned about transparency?

Opponents are concerned about the lack of transparency surrounding the dam construction deals, fearing that the impacts on the environment and local communities have not been adequately considered.

How is the saltwater intrusion affecting the people living on the Mekong Delta?

The saltwater intrusion is affecting the lives of millions of people, particularly small-scale fishermen and farmers in the Delta, as their crops are failing and their environment is rapidly changing.

What impact has the saltwater intrusion had on Vietnam's rice production?

The saltwater intrusion has caused a significant drop in rice production, with exports potentially decreasing by 10 percent and some areas like Dalat experiencing a 30% drop in production.

What alternative crops are farmers in the Mekong Delta considering due to the saltwater intrusion?

Farmers are considering growing more salt-resistant crops like pineapple as an alternative to rice due to the difficulty of cultivating rice in the salty conditions.

How does the Vietnamese government view the current saltwater intrusion situation?

The Vietnamese government has called the current saltwater intrusion a once-in-a-century disaster, indicating the severity and unusual nature of the event.

What is the long-term concern regarding the Mekong River's future with the construction of more dams?

The long-term concern is that the current disaster may be just the beginning, as more dams come online, potentially changing the flow of water, blocking silt, and leading to more frequent and severe saltwater intrusion events.