The Mekong river flows 4800 km from Tibet through China, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand,Cambodia, the Vietnam delta, and into the South China Sea, draining an area of 795,000 sq. km. It is currenlty one of the least modified large rivers and the second most bio-diverse river in the world after the Amazon.
Flows in the Mekong are naturally controlled by the seasonal tropical monsoons. The current patterns and variations of water flows in the Mekong River are critical to sustaining fisheries, agriculture, ecosystems as well as the culture of people in the basin. The river supports the world's largest freshwater fishery and the livelihood of 65 million people dependent on its flows. These flows are at risk of being significantly altered through extensive ongoing developments and plans of hydropower in mainstream and tributaries, water abstractions for agriculture, and climate change.
The Flow of the Mekong
Flows of rivers throughout the world have been altered by population and economic growth and accompanying water resources development. River flow characteristics are changed by construction of dams and other facilities to control floods, generate hydroelectric energy, and provide reliable water supplies, diversions for agricultural, municipal, and industrial needs, and return flows from surface and groundwater supplies. Impacts on hydrology and water availability associated with climate change due to global warming are also of major concern in hydrologic science and water management.
Alterations in flow characteristics differ greatly across the spectrum from low flows to median flows to infrequent extreme flood flows. Gradual permanent increases or decreases in stream flow may be difficult to detect due to the great continuous natural variability that hides long-term trends. Researchers have applied statistical trend analysis methods, watershed precipitation-runoff models, and river-reservoir system management models to quantify flow alterations for river systems throughout the world.
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