China denies Mekong River water levels fell due to flow restrictions from Jinghong hydropower dam

The Mekong River Commission said levels dropped despite a pledge not to hold back water, but China said fluctuations were caused by ‘interval rainfall’

Experts say a change in river levels poses a threat to biodiversity and fisheries and could affect the livelihoods of about 60 million people living downstream

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The Mekong River at the Thai-Laos border in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. Locals said they noticed a drop in water levels. Photo: Pianporn Deetes, International Rivers

Published: 9:45pm, 11 Aug 2021Updated: 11:03pm, 11 Aug 2021

China’s Ministry of Water Resources has refuted accusations that Mekong River water levels in downstream Southeast Asian countries decreased from the end of July to earlier this month because of the restriction of water flows from its Jinghong hydropower dam.

“There is no so-called interception problem in the operation of [Chinese] hydropower stations, and it does not consume water. Instead, it scientifically regulates the run-off,” the ministry said.

“During floods, it stores water properly, reduces the discharge flow, and appropriately increases the discharge flow during the dry season to reduce the flood and drought disasters in the basin,” it added.

According to water flow analysis in the lower Mekong conducted by the ministry’s experts, the recent fluctuations in the water level in Thailand’s Chiang Saen hydrological station were mainly caused by what it calls “interval rainfall”.

From July 18 to 22, Jinghong Dam’s discharge remained stable at about 1,400 cubic metres per second, the ministry said, but due to the rainfall in the interval, the water level increased by 4,770 cubic metres per second within five days.

This resulted in a 3.8-metre increase in water level which gradually declined, it said, pointing out the Mekong River Commission (MRC) had also reached the same conclusion in a statement issued on July 28.