Mekong Flashcards

1
Q

How many nations does the Mekong cross?

A
  • 6 nations
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the source of the Mekong River?

A
  • Tibetan Plateau
  • meltwater
  • also sustained by monsoon rainfall
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Why is the Mekong important?

A
  • Supports 60 million people directly
  • many more indirectly
  • Hosts rich biodiverse community
  • Used for HEP generation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Who manages the Mekong?

A
  • only lower course is managed
  • by Mekong River Commission
  • China is not a member
  • proposed 10 year ban on building of dams
  • has very limited funds
  • thus has no way of actually enforcing
  • China has held back water from flowing through member states when it is most needed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How large is the scale of HEP construction on the Mekong River?

A
  • China has completed 8 dams
    • 5 more under construction
    • 11 planned
  • Laos and Cambodia have 2 under construction
    • 9 planned
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What benefits do dams come with?

A
  • HEP
  • generates income
  • can be essential for landlocked countries such as Laos
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the downsides of HEP in the Mekong?

A
  • Only meets 8% of projected power needs
  • Harms ecosystems
    • migratory fish cannot move freely
    • hinders natural processes
  • Pollutants are not flushed out downstream
    • less fertile sediment carried by river downstream
    • worse for farmers as they depend on sediment to act as fertiliser
  • other farmland may be flooded instead
  • may increase regional tensions between countries
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How has an increasing population in Vietnam affected the Mekong?

A
  • 90% of Vietnamese forest has been cut down
    • severely increased local runoff levels
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What effect has China’s building of dams had on the Mekong?

A
  • reduced sediment load in the lower Mekong from 160MT to 75MT in 15 years
  • causes widespread riverbank erosion
  • less sediment carried by river
  • less settles on floodplain when flooding
  • reduced floodplain fertility
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How has the water quality of the Mekong been changed?

A
  • Lanping Lead-Zinc mine
    • Mercury and arsenic have been released
    • Mekong dolphins have died from bacterial illnesses caused by these chemicals
  • Phnom Penh
    • Urban sewage and rubbish has been dumped into the Mekong
    • resulted in cultural eutrophication
    • build up of nitrogen and phosphorus in water
  • Pesticides run off from fields
    • resulted in algal blooms
    • water hyacinth outbreaks
    • reduce water oxygen levels
    • resulted in carp and shrimp levels dropping off in Vietnam, Cuulong Delta
    • bad for subsidence fishers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How has the flow of the Mekong been changed and what affect has it had?

A
  • Mekong flow has reduced
    • By damming + use of water
    • flow into Tonle Sap lake has been reduced
    • harder for people in Phnom Penh to get fresh drinking water
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How has trade been enhanced along the Mekong?

A
  • Sandbars and rocks within river have been cleared
  • allows ships and large ferries to travel along Mekong
  • However, results in devastating floods as these structures would have obstructed water flow
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What effect has building had on the Mekong Delta?

A
  • 17 million people live in delta
  • 18cm subsidence in delta over past 25 years
  • resulting in seawater encroachment into rice padddies
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is cultural eutrophication?

A
  • Eutrophication due to human induced disposal of rubbish
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly