Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts
Hydropower production is altering the Mekong River basin's riverine ecosystems, which contain the world's largest inland fishery and provide food security and livelihoods to millions of people. The basin's hydropower reservoir storage, which may rise from ∼2% of its mean annual flow in 2008 to ∼20% in 2025, is attenuating seasonal flow variability downstream of many dams with integral powerhouses and large storage reservoirs. In addition, tributary diversions for off-stream energy production are reducing downstream flows and augmenting them in recipient tributaries. To help manage tradeoffs between dam benefits (hydropower, irrigation, flood control, domestic water supply, and navigation) and their consequences for livelihoods and ecosystems, we review observed and projected impacts on river flows along both the Mekong mainstream and its tributaries. We include the effects of diversions and inter-basin transfers, which prior reviews of flow alteration in the Mekong basin have largely neglected. We also discuss the extent to which concurrent changes in climate, water demand, and land use, may offset or exacerbate hydropower-induced flow alteration. Our major recommendations for assessing hydrological impacts in the Mekong and other basins undergoing rapid hydropower development include synchronizing and integrating observational and modeling studies, improving the accuracy of reservoir water balances, evaluating multi-objective reservoir operating rules, examining hydropeaking-induced flow alteration, conducting multi-dam safety assessments, evaluating flow indicators relevant to local ecosystems and livelihoods, and considering alternative energy sources and reservoir sedimentation in long-term projections. Finally, we strongly recommend that dam impact studies consider hydrological alteration in conjunction with fish passage barriers, geomorphic changes and other contemporaneous stressors.
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dig-cirad-fr-5936082024-01-29T02:19:35Z http://agritrop.cirad.fr/593608/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/593608/ Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts. Hecht Jory S., Lacombe Guillaume, Arias Mauricio E., Dang Thanh Duc, Piman Thanapon. 2019. Journal of Hydrology, 568 : 285-300.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045> Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts Hecht, Jory S. Lacombe, Guillaume Arias, Mauricio E. Dang, Thanh Duc Piman, Thanapon eng 2019 Journal of Hydrology P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion P05 - Ressources énergétiques et leur gestion barrage gestion des eaux hydraulique agricole énergie hydroélectrique bassin aquaculture gestion de l'environnement http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2121 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8320 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_17949 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25612 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5666 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_550 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_37875 Mékong Chine Myanmar Thaïlande République démocratique populaire lao Cambodge Viet Nam http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29734 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1556 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1155 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7701 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4073 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8227 Hydropower production is altering the Mekong River basin's riverine ecosystems, which contain the world's largest inland fishery and provide food security and livelihoods to millions of people. The basin's hydropower reservoir storage, which may rise from ∼2% of its mean annual flow in 2008 to ∼20% in 2025, is attenuating seasonal flow variability downstream of many dams with integral powerhouses and large storage reservoirs. In addition, tributary diversions for off-stream energy production are reducing downstream flows and augmenting them in recipient tributaries. To help manage tradeoffs between dam benefits (hydropower, irrigation, flood control, domestic water supply, and navigation) and their consequences for livelihoods and ecosystems, we review observed and projected impacts on river flows along both the Mekong mainstream and its tributaries. We include the effects of diversions and inter-basin transfers, which prior reviews of flow alteration in the Mekong basin have largely neglected. We also discuss the extent to which concurrent changes in climate, water demand, and land use, may offset or exacerbate hydropower-induced flow alteration. Our major recommendations for assessing hydrological impacts in the Mekong and other basins undergoing rapid hydropower development include synchronizing and integrating observational and modeling studies, improving the accuracy of reservoir water balances, evaluating multi-objective reservoir operating rules, examining hydropeaking-induced flow alteration, conducting multi-dam safety assessments, evaluating flow indicators relevant to local ecosystems and livelihoods, and considering alternative energy sources and reservoir sedimentation in long-term projections. Finally, we strongly recommend that dam impact studies consider hydrological alteration in conjunction with fish passage barriers, geomorphic changes and other contemporaneous stressors. article info:eu-repo/semantics/article Journal Article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://agritrop.cirad.fr/593608/1/Hydropower%20dams%20of%20the%20Mekong%20Basin%20-%20Hecht%20et%20al%202019%20-%20J%20Hydrol.pdf text Cirad license info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess https://agritrop.cirad.fr/mention_legale.html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/purl/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.045 |
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P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion P05 - Ressources énergétiques et leur gestion barrage gestion des eaux hydraulique agricole énergie hydroélectrique bassin aquaculture gestion de l'environnement http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2121 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8320 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_17949 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25612 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5666 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_550 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_37875 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29734 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1556 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1155 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7701 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4073 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8227 P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion P05 - Ressources énergétiques et leur gestion barrage gestion des eaux hydraulique agricole énergie hydroélectrique bassin aquaculture gestion de l'environnement http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2121 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8320 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_17949 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25612 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5666 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_550 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_37875 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29734 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1556 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1155 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7701 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4073 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8227 |
spellingShingle |
P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion P05 - Ressources énergétiques et leur gestion barrage gestion des eaux hydraulique agricole énergie hydroélectrique bassin aquaculture gestion de l'environnement http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2121 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8320 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_17949 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25612 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5666 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_550 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_37875 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29734 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1556 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1155 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7701 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4073 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8227 P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion P05 - Ressources énergétiques et leur gestion barrage gestion des eaux hydraulique agricole énergie hydroélectrique bassin aquaculture gestion de l'environnement http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2121 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8320 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_17949 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25612 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5666 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_550 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_37875 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29734 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1556 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1155 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7701 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4073 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8227 Hecht, Jory S. Lacombe, Guillaume Arias, Mauricio E. Dang, Thanh Duc Piman, Thanapon Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts |
description |
Hydropower production is altering the Mekong River basin's riverine ecosystems, which contain the world's largest inland fishery and provide food security and livelihoods to millions of people. The basin's hydropower reservoir storage, which may rise from ∼2% of its mean annual flow in 2008 to ∼20% in 2025, is attenuating seasonal flow variability downstream of many dams with integral powerhouses and large storage reservoirs. In addition, tributary diversions for off-stream energy production are reducing downstream flows and augmenting them in recipient tributaries. To help manage tradeoffs between dam benefits (hydropower, irrigation, flood control, domestic water supply, and navigation) and their consequences for livelihoods and ecosystems, we review observed and projected impacts on river flows along both the Mekong mainstream and its tributaries. We include the effects of diversions and inter-basin transfers, which prior reviews of flow alteration in the Mekong basin have largely neglected. We also discuss the extent to which concurrent changes in climate, water demand, and land use, may offset or exacerbate hydropower-induced flow alteration. Our major recommendations for assessing hydrological impacts in the Mekong and other basins undergoing rapid hydropower development include synchronizing and integrating observational and modeling studies, improving the accuracy of reservoir water balances, evaluating multi-objective reservoir operating rules, examining hydropeaking-induced flow alteration, conducting multi-dam safety assessments, evaluating flow indicators relevant to local ecosystems and livelihoods, and considering alternative energy sources and reservoir sedimentation in long-term projections. Finally, we strongly recommend that dam impact studies consider hydrological alteration in conjunction with fish passage barriers, geomorphic changes and other contemporaneous stressors. |
format |
article |
topic_facet |
P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion P05 - Ressources énergétiques et leur gestion barrage gestion des eaux hydraulique agricole énergie hydroélectrique bassin aquaculture gestion de l'environnement http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2121 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8320 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_17949 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25612 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5666 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_550 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_37875 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29734 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1556 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1155 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7701 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4073 http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8227 |
author |
Hecht, Jory S. Lacombe, Guillaume Arias, Mauricio E. Dang, Thanh Duc Piman, Thanapon |
author_facet |
Hecht, Jory S. Lacombe, Guillaume Arias, Mauricio E. Dang, Thanh Duc Piman, Thanapon |
author_sort |
Hecht, Jory S. |
title |
Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts |
title_short |
Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts |
title_full |
Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts |
title_fullStr |
Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts |
title_full_unstemmed |
Hydropower dams of the Mekong River basin: A review of their hydrological impacts |
title_sort |
hydropower dams of the mekong river basin: a review of their hydrological impacts |
url |
http://agritrop.cirad.fr/593608/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/593608/1/Hydropower%20dams%20of%20the%20Mekong%20Basin%20-%20Hecht%20et%20al%202019%20-%20J%20Hydrol.pdf |
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