On 14th August 2012, during the training course on the Life Cycle Assessment and Hydropower organized by NGO Forum Cambodia, the Senior Program officer of IUCN Cambodia Mr. Kong Kimsreng has an opportunity to give a PowerPoint presentation on Impact of Hydropower Dam on wetland and the general understanding on value and function of wetland.
There were 44 participants who are representative from fishery communities in Tonle Sap Lake and three sub-basins of Mekong River (3Ss – Sekong, Sesan & Srepok) and from other local NGOs. The presentation focused on two main aspects of the Hydropower dams: the current benefits and the future impacts.
The current benefits of Hydropower dams can provide clean and efficient energy up to 90% of energy from water movement to generate electricity, no need fuel, electricity prices can be lower, cross-country relationship building, reduced turbidity beneficial for white fish.
The future benefit, the flood pulse pattern of the Tonle Sap is altered by climate change, and would be further affected by the construction of dams along the Mekong, Some wetlands benefit from the clearer water resulting from Dam sediment catching and would be further affected by the construction of dams along the Mekong. Approximately 1000km2 of permanently dry and arable land would appear in areas currently flooded for part of the year and some wetlands benefit from the clearer water resulting from Dam sediment catching
Dam construction and river development could threaten security and livelihoods of 70% of basin’s population such as, Dams cause a build up of sedimentation, disrupting nutrient flows along the river, reducing its capacity to combat sea level rise and increased salinity by lowering the replenishment rate, Dams disrupt fish migration routes and ecosystem flows, possibly causing extirpation of some species.
Areas of wetland currently only semi flooded would be completely flooded lost like, replacement of flood pulses by more constant water levels would further reduce nutrient cycling affecting all parts of the ecosystem, Increased stream flow from less sediment will cause faster erosion of wetlands such as the Mekong Delta and other debris providing habitats for various flora and fauna filtered from the water.
By Sar Kimleong
For more information please contact:
Mr. Kong Kimsreng
Senior Program Officer IUCN Cambodia