1. The Mighty Mekong: Heart of Southeast Asia
By: Bianca Sander

2. Lasagongma Spring near Mt. Guozongmucha, Tibetan Plateau
Yunnan Province
Myanmar/Laos border
Laos
Thailand/Laos border
Cambodia
Vietnam
South China Sea

3. Economic Value Commercially worth $2billion
80% of the animal protein for the 60 million people living in the basin (World Wildlife Foundation 2011).
The Mekong River is capable of producing 2,500,000 million tons of fish a year (Hogan 2011).
Floating fish farm on the Mekong River, Vietnam

4. People living in the floating villages on the Mekong River rely on the fish supply for survival

5. Biodiversity of the Mekong River Watershed
Vegetation
Land Animals
Aquatic Animals

6. Lotus Field, Cambodia

7. Carnivorous Pitcher Plant(

8. Coconuts, Vietnam
Jack Fruit rarefruit.org
Rambutan rambutan.com

9. Boat full of pineapple, Thailand
Mangostan, Thailand
Globalopportunity.se
Boat full of pineapple, Thailand

10. Young Elephant, Thailand
Elephant Reserve,
Thailand

11. Rhesus Macaque,
Cambodia
Monitor lizard,
Thailand

12. Water fowl,
Vietnam
Stork Gardens,
Vietnam

13. At least 1,300 species of freshwater fish (World Wildlife Foundation 2011)
The 'sucker' fish (Oreoglanis) (

14. Mekong river of Thailand by British fisherman Ian Welch
Mekong river of Thailand by British fisherman Ian Welch. Its massive body was 7ft long and 7ft wide, with a tail measuring 10ft. After DNA was taken for testing this pregnant female was released back into the wild.

15. Mekong Giant Catfish Pangasianodon gigas/paucidens
World’s largest scale-less freshwater fish
95% population drop over the last century (National Geographic, 2011)
Endemic from the delta all the way to the Yunnan Province.
Are now reported only in the main Mekong, no longer found in smaller tributaries or Tonle Sap

16. National Geographic 2011
Extremely overfished and are now “protected” by legislation in the Golden Triangle region.

17. Irrawaddy dolphin Orcaella brevirostris
Critically vulnerable
Lives in brackish coastal waters
Mekong freshwater sub-population estimated at 127 individuals in 2005; may now be as few as 86 individuals (Beasley 2011).
listed as critically endangered in the wild
Worldwide population ~7,000

18. Feeds on fish, eggs, cephalopods, and crustaceans
Irrawaddy dolphins can be found in conservation aquariums, where they can reproduce in a safe environment while learning tricks with other dolphins
Teakdoor.com

19. Mekong in danger: damming
Drastically affect quality and quantity of fish available for consumption.
Many fish, such as the Mekong Giant Catfish, travels upstream to spawn.
Lower water levels downstream reduces fish habitat
Reduced sedimentation puts the delta at further risk of eroding into the sea
Lower water levels are unfavorable to floating communities and markets

20. Existing: Manwan Dachaoshan Jinghong Xiaowan (2010)
Under Constructi0n:
Nuozhadu
Planned:
Gongguoqiao
Ganlaba
Mengsong
Pak Beng
Luang Prabang
Xayabouri
Pak Lay
Sanakham
Pak Chom
Ban Koum
Lat Sua
Don Sahong
Stung Treng
Sambor
2009

21. Museumstuff.com
Dachaoshan Dam

22. Xiaowan Dam
Chinadaily.com.cn

23. Lu, X.X. and R.Y. Siew, 2005 Water discharge and sediment flux changes in the Lower Mekong River
Infilling of the Manwan reservoir in 1992 has disrupted water discharge and sediment transportation.
Extremely low water levels in the Mekong may be a result of cascade damming in China.
Discharge and sediment flux was analyzed at various gauging stations along the Mekong River downstream of the Manwan Dam.

25. Trend shows the variation in downstream sediment concentration from before to after the Manwan dam was constructed. Sites closer to the dam shower higher before-after variability than sites further downstream.

26. Lu and Siew 2005 Results General decrease in sediment discharge
Lower average water levels
Increased daily water fluctuation for sites downstream of Manwan Dam in China.
These changes are relatively minimal at this time and only significantly affect sites nearer to the dam.
They may become detrimental to the Mekong ecosystem as time passes and more dams are built along the Mekong in China and Thailand.

27. Thank You! Any Questions?
Mekong River sunset, Louang Prabang, Laos