ID :
111023
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 20:06
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/111023
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China denies lowered Mekong River level caused by its dams
BANGKOK, March 11 (TNA) - China has denied that the lower water level of the Mekong River was caused by dams in China, saying that their construction had reduced the river's flow by only four per cent, according to a senior official at Chinese Embassy in Thailand.
Counsellor Chen Dehai of China's embassy in Bangkok said the accusation was baseless and incorrect. He said the water volume of Lanchang River that becomes the Mekong was only 13.5 per cent of the total.
Hydroelectric dam costruction in China had affected only 4 per cent of the overall water volume and would definitely not be the cause of the record low levels of the Mekong river as it flows through the Southeast Asian heartland.
The Lancang Jiang or Lancang River flows southward from China to Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. After leaving China, the name of the river changes to the Mekong River.
Mr Chen said he believed the dams were not to be blamed as the major cause of the problem was from the extremely low rainfalls since last year that cause the branches of Mekong River in Thailand to have insufficient water to replenish their flow into the Mekong River itself.
Meanwhile, he said, the three provinces in southwest China are also facing severe drought.
The water level of the Mekong River to its lowest in 20 years amd among the countgrries south of China the drought and the possible effects of the Chinese dams are believed to be the cause that reduces the water level in the reginal river that runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
According to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), more than 60 million people in the lower Mekong basin depend on the river system for food, transport and economic activity, and the river and lake system is home to the world's most valuable inland fisheries.
The record-low levels were posing a threat to water supply, navigation and irrigation.
Some agencies had accused Chinese dam operators of contributing to the low level of the Mekong by retaining water for irrigation and electricity generation.
As for the request for China to publicise its water level information to Mekong organisation, he said that China would check what agency had raised the issue and what Chinese agency had received the request.
However, China had not yet received the formal invitation letter to attend the MRC meeting early next month, he said.
China is home to eight dams that are either built or undergoing construction on the Mekong. (TNA)
Counsellor Chen Dehai of China's embassy in Bangkok said the accusation was baseless and incorrect. He said the water volume of Lanchang River that becomes the Mekong was only 13.5 per cent of the total.
Hydroelectric dam costruction in China had affected only 4 per cent of the overall water volume and would definitely not be the cause of the record low levels of the Mekong river as it flows through the Southeast Asian heartland.
The Lancang Jiang or Lancang River flows southward from China to Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. After leaving China, the name of the river changes to the Mekong River.
Mr Chen said he believed the dams were not to be blamed as the major cause of the problem was from the extremely low rainfalls since last year that cause the branches of Mekong River in Thailand to have insufficient water to replenish their flow into the Mekong River itself.
Meanwhile, he said, the three provinces in southwest China are also facing severe drought.
The water level of the Mekong River to its lowest in 20 years amd among the countgrries south of China the drought and the possible effects of the Chinese dams are believed to be the cause that reduces the water level in the reginal river that runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
According to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), more than 60 million people in the lower Mekong basin depend on the river system for food, transport and economic activity, and the river and lake system is home to the world's most valuable inland fisheries.
The record-low levels were posing a threat to water supply, navigation and irrigation.
Some agencies had accused Chinese dam operators of contributing to the low level of the Mekong by retaining water for irrigation and electricity generation.
As for the request for China to publicise its water level information to Mekong organisation, he said that China would check what agency had raised the issue and what Chinese agency had received the request.
However, China had not yet received the formal invitation letter to attend the MRC meeting early next month, he said.
China is home to eight dams that are either built or undergoing construction on the Mekong. (TNA)
