Mekong flowing at highest in years but drought feared later
After four straight years of low flows the Mekong River recorded record water levels in the first four months of 2022. According to Mekong River Commission (MRC), from November 2021 to April 2022 the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) was wetter than normal years with rainfall 25 percent above average basin-wide.
Low flows and droughts are mostly caused by a lack of rainfall, but upstream dams also contribute to wet season droughts by storing significant amounts of water, Brian Eyler, Southeast Asia program director and Mekong Dam Monitor Co-Lead, Stimson Center, said at a virtual event February.
Minh Nga
