Observed changes in flow regimes in the Mekong River basin

Li, Dongnan; Long, Di; Zhao, Jianshi; Lu, Hui; Hong, Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.05.061

Cited by 169 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…However, for the 2010-2014 period,~62% of the observed changes in flow [24] were found to be related to hydropower development. This disparity highlights the accelerating influence of direct human activities on the hydrology of the Mekong.…”

Section: Historical Hydroclimatic Variabilities and Trendmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Comparison of the monthly seasonal cycle during 1982-1992 and 1993-2004 periods suggests that the amplitude of the flood pulse has generally increased ( Figure 2) at all five stations (Figure 1) in the middle and lower reach of the basin. However, a recent study that used the more recent flow records from the Chiang Saen station in the Upper Mekong suggests a decrease in maximum flows accompanied by an increased rate of flow decrease following the completion of upstream dams [24]. Upstream dam completion likely increases dry season flows and water level fluctuations, and the dam-induced fluctuations in upstream flows increase the variability in downstream flows more in the dry season than in the wet season.…”

Section: Historical Hydroclimatic Variabilities and Trendmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Upstream dam completion likely increases dry season flows and water level fluctuations, and the dam-induced fluctuations in upstream flows increase the variability in downstream flows more in the dry season than in the wet season. Studies suggest that flood duration, amplitude, and maximum water level decreased throughout the basin due to dam construction [24], which has also caused a significant delay in the start, peak, and end of seasonal flood pulse [25].…”

Section: Historical Hydroclimatic Variabilities and Trendmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Water impoundment behind dams can alter the dynamics of terrestrial water storage (TWS) [57], which can affect groundwater systems and offset sea level rise [58]. The Xiaowan and Nuozhadu dams in the Upper Mekong (the Lancang River), constructed in 2010 and 2014 respectively, significantly increased dry-season flows and decreased wet-season flows [24]. The increase in dry-season flow can benefit downstream agricultural irrigation, while the reduction in wet-season flows can be beneficial for downstream flood and drought management and navigation, and supports important instream ecosystems [24].…”

Section: Dams In the Mekong And Their Hydro-agro-ecological Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A Review of the Integrated Effects of Changing Climate, Land Use, and Dams on Mekong River Hydrology

Pokhrel

Burbano

Roush

et al. 2018

Water

196

112

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Abstract:The ongoing and proposed construction of large-scale hydropower dams in the Mekong river basin is a subject of intense debate and growing international concern due to the unprecedented and potentially irreversible impacts these dams are likely to have on the hydrological, agricultural, and ecological systems across the basin. Studies have shown that some of the dams built in the tributaries and the main stem of the upper Mekong have already caused basin-wide impacts by altering the magnitude and seasonality of flows, blocking sediment transport, affecting fisheries and livelihoods of downstream inhabitants, and changing the flood pulse to the Tonle Sap Lake. There are hundreds of additional dams planned for the near future that would result in further changes, potentially causing permanent damage to the highly productive agricultural systems and fisheries, as well as the riverine and floodplain ecosystems. Several studies have examined the potential impacts of existing and planned dams but the integrated effects of the dams when combined with the adverse hydrologic consequences of climate change remain largely unknown. Here, we provide a detailed review of the existing literature on the changes in climate, land use, and dam construction and the resulting impacts on hydrological, agricultural, and ecological systems across the Mekong. The review provides a basis to better understand the effects of climate change and accelerating human water management activities on the coupled hydrological-agricultural-ecological systems, and identifies existing challenges to study the region's Water, Energy, and Food (WEF) nexus with emphasis on the influence of future dams and projected climate change. In the last section, we synthesize the results and highlight the urgent need to develop integrated models to holistically study the coupled natural-human systems across the basin that account for the impacts of climate change and water infrastructure development. This review provides a framework for future research in the Mekong, including studies that integrate hydrological, agricultural, and ecological modeling systems.

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Section: Historical Hydroclimatic Variabilities and Trendmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Historical Hydroclimatic Variabilities and Trendmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Historical Hydroclimatic Variabilities and Trendmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dams In the Mekong And Their Hydro-agro-ecological Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A Review of the Integrated Effects of Changing Climate, Land Use, and Dams on Mekong River Hydrology

Pokhrel

Burbano

Roush

et al. 2018

Water

196

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…More recently, Lu et al [43] assessed alterations of monthly water discharge at that same station up until 2010 and found moderate alterations during March and April. However, Li et al [44] found that damming in the upstream area led to a declining trend in the annual streamflow at the upstream Chiang Saen gauging station, whereas no clear effect was observed at the downstream Stung Treng station. Räsänen et al [45] assessed discharge changes using observed discharge data and a distributed hydrological model, and found that the hydropower operations in the Upper Mekong Basin can only partially explain observed river discharge changes in Cambodia (Kratie), suggesting that river discharges are also affected by dam operations in the Lower Mekong Basin.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the Lake Area of Tonle Sap: Possible Linkage to Runoff Alterations in the Lancang River?

Luo

et al. 2018

Remote Sensing

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Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Water development infrastructures are increasingly being constructed in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin, which is a major concern considering its potential impact on Tonle Sap Lake. This study aimed to investigate variations in the area of the lake and discuss their possible linkage to runoff alterations in the Lancang River (Upper Mekong) by comparing runoff at the Yunjinghong hydrological station before and after significant changes in runoff trends that occurred in 2008. First, four commonly used water body extraction methods (MNDWI, NDWI, NDVI, and EVI) were compared and MNDWI was found to provide a better and more stable performance. Based on MOD09A1 data, MNDWI was used to extract the water area of the lake from 2000 to 2014, and characteristics of variations in the area before and after 2008 were analyzed. The water area of Tonle Sap Lake displayed an overall decreasing trend, and specifically decreased by 8.3% during the flood season and by 1.5% on average during the dry season after 2008. Seasonal variations in the water area of Tonle Sap Lake were dominantly influenced by runoff from the Mekong River. Compared with the period 2000-2007, runoff at Yunjinghong station were increased during the dry season (20.74%) and decreased during the flood season (34.25%) between 2008 and 2014. Changes in upstream runoff contributed to runoff at the Stung Treng station in the lower Mekong River by 6.17% (dry season) and −2.41% (flood season). Evidently, the operation of dams in the Lancang River does not primarily account for the area decrease of Tonle Sap Lake during the flood season. In contrast, runoff increase during the dry season mitigates the area decrease of Tonle Sap Lake to a certain extent.

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Observed response of tropical river streamflow to climate change - evidence from a national database

Hong

Pham

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Observed changes in flow regimes in the Mekong River basin

Cited by 169 publications

References 44 publications

A Review of the Integrated Effects of Changing Climate, Land Use, and Dams on Mekong River Hydrology

A Review of the Integrated Effects of Changing Climate, Land Use, and Dams on Mekong River Hydrology

Changes in the Lake Area of Tonle Sap: Possible Linkage to Runoff Alterations in the Lancang River?

Observed response of tropical river streamflow to climate change - evidence from a national database

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