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Mekong People Movement from Pak Mun to Mekong Dams

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Mekong People Movement from Pak Mun to Mekong Dams Can fishermen fight? Dams and people’s movement in the Mekong region: Some observations Premrudee Daoroung Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance (TERRA) 10 November 2015, An Giang, Vietnam From the people’s statement 25 September 2015 • We are people from local communities in the Mekong region, who depend on the eco-systems created by the Mekong river and numerous other rivers and lakes in the region, especially, the Tonle Sap, Sesan and Mekong Delta, for our food, health, livelihood, culture, society and incomes. The waters and resources of the Mekong region sustain our lives and economic security. • The dams built on the Mekong mainstream and other rivers in the region have resulted in severe changes in the Mekong’s ecosystems, endangering life, livelihoods and the economy of the entire region. Indigenous peoples, women and children are most affected by these changes. The dams have also worsened the impacts of climate change that we are already facing. These dams include Pak Mun, Yali Falls, Nam Theun 2, Theun-Hinboun, Xayaburi and the series of dams on the Lancang river in China. • We have witnessed and experienced the destruction caused by the dams. For us, who live by the river and experience every change in the water systems, there is no question that such dams result in serious negative impacts for present and future generations, and should not be built. Nam Ngum Dam Location Vientiane Capital, Laos Coordinates 18°31′51″N102°32′51″ECo ordinates: 18°31′51″N 102 °32′51″E Construction began 1968 Opening date 1971 Construction cost US$97 million (over three phases) Owner(s) EDL Dam and spillways Type of dam Gravity dam Impounds Nam Ngum River Height 70 m (230 ft) Length 468 m (1,535 ft) Spillway type Radial Reservoir Creates Ang Nam Ngum 3 Total capacity 4.7 km (3,800,000 acre·ft) 2 Catchment area 8,460 km (3,266 sq mi) 2 Surface area 370 km (140 sq mi) Pak Mun Dam Opening date 1994 Country Thailand Location Ubon Ratchathani Province Dam and spillways Impounds Mun River Height 17 m (56 ft) Length 300 m (984 ft) Width (crest) 7.5 m (25 ft) Reservoir Creates Pak Mun Reservoir Power station Operator(s) EGAT Turbines 4 Installed capacity 136 MW Annual generation 290 GWh Manwan Dam - construction began 1986, Opening date 1995 Dachaoshan Dam Type of dam Gravity Impounds Mekong River Height 132 m (433 ft) 3 Total capacity 920,000,000 m (745 ,856 acre·ft) Power station Installed capacity 1,750 MW Yali Fall Dam 720 MW began the construction in 1993 Completely constructed in 2001 Nam Theun 2 Dam Commission date 2010 Location Khammouane, Laos Dam and spillways Type of dam Gravity dam Impounds Nam Theun Height 39 m (128 ft) Length 436 m (1,430 ft) Reservoir 3 Total capacity 3.53 km (2,860,000 acre·ft) 2 Catchment area 4,039 km (1,559 sq mi) 2 Surface area 450 km (170 sq mi) Power station Operator(s) Nam Theun 2 Power Company Commission date March 2010 Turbines EDL: 2 × 37.5 MW EGAT: 4 × 250 MW Installed capacity 1,070 MW The reason for the fight Nam Theun 2 dam site Living along Sesan River, Cambodia Resettlement villages – not enough water for agriculture and daily use Life after Manwan dam - migrants at the garbage dumpsite Existing and future plan of hydroelectric dams in Lao PDR. Nam Tha 1: 230 MW Nam Ou 2: 950 MW Nam Suong 2: 190MW Nam Ngum 3: 430 MW Nam Khan 2: 145 MW Nam Ngum 4: 290 MW Nam Ngum 2: 553 MW Nam Theun 1: 400 MW Hong Sa lignite: Nam Theun Hinboun: 210 MW 608 MW Nam Theun 2: 1,088 MW Nam Leuk : 60 MW Xe Bang Fai 1: 80 MW Nam Ngum: 150 MW Xe Bang Hieng: 285 MW Xekong 5: 255 MW Nam Ngipe 1: 260 MW Xekong 4: 346 MW Nam Theun 3: 450 MW Xe Kaman1: 407MW Xe Set: 45 MW Houay Ho: 126 MW Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noi: 365 MW Mekong dams Photo: Suthep Krisnavarin Fish product from lower Mekong only - is more than 2 million ton per year, value more than $1,500 million The history and the future Women of Srekor Village in Cambodia Saying “NO” to Lower Sesan 2 dam .
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