According to MDM (Mekong Hydropower Monitoring Project), the low water volume has led to the water level along the entire Mekong River being lower than the average for many years. The section along the Thai-Lao border is about 1m lower than normal. Meanwhile, at many stations in Cambodia, it has dropped by up to 1.5m, especially the "water bag" Tonle Sap, which is about 2m lower. Currently, the amount of water flowing into Tonle Sap is very small and shows no signs of increasing because most of the Mekong River basin is experiencing a dry period.
Without the flood season, the Mekong Delta will face many risks such as lack of alluvium, lack of fresh water for agricultural production and sharp decline in aquatic resources.
A similar report was also published by the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning (SIWRP). Accordingly, the total water volume from June 1 to July 20, 2023 through Kratie station reached 31.94 billion cubic meters. Compared to the average of many years in the same period, it is 19.29 billion cubic meters lower. The actual water level measured on July 20 at Kratie was 13.15m, 1.45m lower than the average of many years. Meanwhile, at Tonle Sap, the actual water level measured on the same day was 1.86m, 3.43m lower than the average of many years.
In the upper Mekong River, on July 19, the water level at Tan Chau on the Tien River was 1.39m, 0.5m lower than the average of many years. Meanwhile, at Chau Doc on the Hau River, it was 1.49m, 0.47m lower than the average of many years.
According to the forecast of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), next week, daily rainfall in the lower Mekong River basin will be average and tend to decrease, with rainfall ranging from 5 - 25mm, and no rain in some places in the upper and central Laos. In the Mekong Delta, rainfall will be high, from 90 - 120mm and tend to decrease, SIWRP said.
According to experts, the low water level of the Mekong River is due to the drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon and hydroelectric dams. The lack of water will lead to the risk of losing the flood season this year as well as severe drought and salinity in the upcoming dry season, affecting agricultural production and aquaculture. In particular, there will be a lack of alluvium and sand in the Mekong Delta, leading to many other major risks such as riverbank and coastal erosion and land subsidence...
In contrast to the low water volume and water level in the upper Mekong River, the peak tide in July this year is much higher than the average of many years and higher than the peak tide in 2022 and 2021. The highest peak tide at Ganh Hao reached 2.05m; compared to the typical same period in many years, it is 0.74m higher and 0.13m higher than in 2022. The high peak tide will cause flooding in some aquaculture areas in coastal areas of Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, and Kien Giang provinces.
Source link
Comment (0)