Mekong River Dams Ruin Livelihoods of 65 Million - 11 More Are Planned
Image Credit: Fredrik Thommesen on Flickr under a CC LicenseJuly 28th, 2009
Written by Bryan Nelson
Eco Worldly
17 dams recently built on the Mekong River in Southeast Asia are threatening fisheries, destroying a vast ecosystem, and starving millions. And 11 more dams are currently in the planning process.
The dams already in place are blocking fish from traveling upstream to spawn, and the new dams– many of which will sit nearer the river’s headwaters– could threaten the entire river ecosystem. 65 million people currently live and rely upon the Mekong for their sustenance and livelihood, and about 80 percent of their protein intake comes from the river’s fisheries.
