Environmental and economic significance of the Mekong River Basin

Mekong River Basin

Research, Review and Evaluation of Present and Future

Conditions of the Region

Physical Geological Information

Present Environmental Condition

Cultural Significance of the Mekong River Basin Region

Economic Significance of the Mekong River Basin

The Mekong River Basin

Research, Review and Evaluation of Present and Future

Conditions of the Region

The Geography of the River

The Mekong River Basin is one of the ten longest rivers existing in the world and has a significant impact upon the nature, environment, societal aspects as well as the economical aspects of the Indo-china Peninsula. The origination of the name of "Mekong" is in the Thai language of Mae Nam Khnong. (Bao, et al., 2004) the Tibet Mountains are home to the Mekong's beginning which travels from the River of Rick or the Dza Chu River, or River of Rock, which is the primary source for the Mekong River. The Dza Chu runs through a valley that is narrow and parallel to the two rivers of Yangz Jiang and Salween River. Upon the Mekong having reached the Chinese province of Yung-Nan it is then called the Lancang Jiang or "Turbulent River" Next the river travels through the Golden Triangle, Myanmar and Laos boarder, and on into the Vientiane Plain. The phrase lower Mekong means downstream segment from the point [According to a geographic review online at http://cantho.cool.ne.jp/mekong/outline/mcxxcxekong_river_e.html

] After the Vientiane Plain the rapids which are termed notorious flows into Cambodia and on into the Mekong Delta in Vietnam where the water is distributed into the paddy fields.

I. The Countries of the Mekong River Basin

The countries of the Mekong River Basin region are listed as follows with other relevant data:

Countries Area (km2) Basin in Nation (km2)

Ratio

The Kingdom of Thailand 9,597,000

The Union of Myanmar 678.030

The People's Republic of China 236,725

202,400 85.5%

The Lao Peoples Democratic

Republic 513.115

Cambodia 181,100

II. Environmental and Ecological Data

The Lower Mekong River Basin fishery is called "one of the most abundant river fisheries in the world" and is critically important to 55 million individuals living in the basin area. From this income is earned in the industry of the catching, preserving and marketing of fish and other aquatic products and as well this provides the main source of animal protein for those living in the area. (Coates, et al., 2003) This is the reason that this area has been cited as one vitally important in maintaining and protecting the biodiversity that is under great threat of being destroyed. The people of this area farm the land surrounding the river basin as well as fishing and working in the fishery industry. The waters are for the most part unregulated. Threats to biodiversity are stated to arise from "over-exploitation and the use of destructive gears in the surrounding industry. The results of the threats, which mostly come from outside of the fishery operations are known to cause "extensive loss of habitat, ecosystem simplification and reduced water quality and quantity." (Coates, et al., 2003) Solutions that are know to be effective are "co-management approaches in the fishery sector which are already in use and highly effective on a local basis.

There are 1200 known species of fish and it is thought that there are as many as 1700 living in the Mekong River Basin. High diversity is present due to plant groups and other aquatic animal groups. The Mekong's ecosystem is one of complexity with variations in climate, geology, terrain and water flow." (Coates, et al. 2003) the results of these variations are a rich habitat that is said to 'rival that found on tropical coral reefs. The pictures below show the impact of the flooding of the Mekong.

Figure 2.0 Figure 2.1

Source: (Coates, et al., 2003)

III. Cultural Significance of the River

Diversity is important for the following reasons:

Direct Use Value: biodiversity is used directly as food and good produced from natural resources and as the basis for tourism activities.

Indirect Use Value: biodiversity supports ecosystems and the way they function which serves to support the humans dependent on the ecosystems.

Option value: once a species is extinct it is lost for good robbing future generations of the benefit form the existence of those species.

Intrinsic and artistic/visual value: biodiversity and nature are regarded by many as being among those things that are "good" in their own right with inherent or intrinsic value.

It is important that the destruction of local spawning grounds or dry season refuges be avoided, that local changes in the quality and quantity of water available be unchanged as storage in dams and abstraction for irrigations and that the construction of barriers such as dams, weirs and diversions be avoided as well. Deforestation and loss of riparian vegetative cover are cited as problems in the area. Many of the areas surrounding the river have instituted conservations zones, gear restrictions and seasonal restrictions in an effort to save the biodiversity of the Mekong River Basin. Other problems in terms of environmental effects are that the quality of water is increasingly becoming worse with declines in fish quantity and salt water intrusion which are cited to be caused by logging, tourism, mining, soil erosion, irrigation, and other factors.

IV. Contemporary Economical Significance of the River

Clearly the economical significance of the river is due to the livelihood provided by the fisheries, the crops grown in nearby fields dependent upon irrigation waters from the river as well as the other aquatic provisions of the river that are utilized in the livelihoods of the people that dwell along the river.

Summary and Conclusion

The wealth provided by the Mekong River for those who live and dwell along the basin area as well as in the adjoining areas where the streams branch into the river can never be replaced once it has been lost. The Mekong is the lifeblood of the area providing electricity, transport, water and many diverse resources. There are many programs presently in development that hope to address the issues affecting the river and the life within and without the river banks in order to preserve for future generations what has been enjoyed for those past. It is vital that the biodiversity of areas such as the Mekong River Basin be guarded closely and that sustainable development be the guide in future decisions of development and governance of precious regions such as the Mekong River Basin.