Major Issues of Basin Planing

Major Issues of Basin Planing

• Module 2

“..the Mekong River Basin and

the related natural resources and environment are natural assets

of immense value…”

1995 Mekong Agreement

Upper Mekong Basin (UMB)

• China• Myanmar

- 18% of total flow

Lower Mekong Basin (LMB)

• Laos• Thailand• Cambodia• Viet Nam

- 82% of total flow

Mekong Mekong River BasinRiver Basin

• Mountains of the north and east

Main geographic Main geographic regions of LMBregions of LMB

2200 - 28001800 - 22001400 - 18001100 - 1400800 - 1100500 - 800200 - 500100 - 2000 - 100

Elevation in meter

River (water body)

• Mountains of the north and east

• Isan (Korat) Plateau

Main geographic Main geographic regionsregions

2200 - 28001800 - 22001400 - 18001100 - 1400800 - 1100500 - 800200 - 500100 - 2000 - 100

Elevation in meter

River (water body)

• Mountains of the north and east

• Isan (Korat) Plateau

• Great Lake and Cambodian plains

Main geographic Main geographic regionsregions

2200 - 28001800 - 22001400 - 18001100 - 1400800 - 1100500 - 800200 - 500100 - 2000 - 100

Elevation in meter

River (water body)

• Mountains of the north and east

• I-san (Korat) Plateau

• Great Lake and Cambodian plains

• Delta

Main geographic Main geographic regionsregions

2200 - 28001800 - 22001400 - 18001100 - 1400800 - 1100500 - 800200 - 500100 - 2000 - 100

Elevation in meter

River (water body)

July

OctoberJanuaryApril

July

Highly seasonal vegetation

Vegetation index shows vegetation greening and dry-

off.

Diverse Diverse ecosystemsecosystems

• tropical rainforest, deciduous forest, dry woodland, grassland, wetland, mangroves

• wetlands of Great Lake and floodplains

• Biodiversity

•>1200 species of fish

•Abundant water birds

•Rare species Irrawaddy dolphin, Javan rhinoceros

For Basin Dev elopment Plan

ning Purpose, the Mekong Ri ver Basin has

been divided i -nto 1 0 Sub

ar eas