UPSTREAM DROUGHT AND DOWNSTREAM FLOODING

By Rim Sokvy, The Mekong Research Project

The Mekong River, which stretches from China (Lancang River) through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, is crucially important for the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. The river is the primary source of freshwater, fish protein, irrigation and energy. As hydropower dam construction continues, there is much debate about the rise…