Basin Reports

Interactive Report
Snapshot of the State of the Basin Report 2018

To better understand the current state and achieve our shared vision for the river basin.

Interactive Report
Snapshot of the MRC Council Study findings and recommendations

How can we stimulate strong economic growth without compromising environmental sustainability and
leaving anyone behind?

Assessment of fisheries yield in the Lower Mekong River Basin 2020

MRC conducts periodic assessments of fisheries yield in different regions of the Lower Mekong Basin ):MB) to inform policy decisions and understand trends in catches and the value of aquatic living resources over time. The assessments conducted in 2020 suggest that the annual finfish yield from the LMB falls within the range of 1.51 to 1.71 million tonnes, while the harvest of other aquatic animals (OAA) is approximately 443,000 tons. These findings reveal a considerable decline in catches, amounting to approximately 25-30%, compared to the assessments conducted in 2000 and 2010. The estimated value of the fish catch varies from USD 7.13 billion to USD 8.37 billion annually. In addition, the estimated value of the OAA harvest is approximately USD 1.13 billion.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.bivw7w | Published on: 05 Feb 2024 | Language: English

Mekong Low Flow and Drought Conditions in 2019–2021
Conditions in 2019–2021: Hydrological Conditions in the Lower Mekong River Basin (Technical Report)

This technical report unravels the underlying drivers of the extremely low flows and drought based on an analysis of the available data the MRC has collected. Based on the findings, it suggests potential measures to address and mitigate the impacts of the hydrological droughts and storage on the Basin’s people.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.qx5yo7 | Published on: 13 Jan 2022 | Language: English

Situation Report on Dry Season Hydrological Conditions in the Lower Mekong River Basin: November 2020–May 2021

This Situation Report presents a preliminary analysis of the Lower Mekong River Basin hydro-meteorological conditions over the 2020–2021 dry season. It shows fluctuations in water levels in the upper reaches of the Mekong mainstream in Lao PDR and Thailand, as well as low water volume stored in the Tonle Sap Lake. Rainfall in April–May was the highest on record for these months for the last 18 years in places. Overall, flows in the Mekong in the first five months of 2021 were also higher than the long-term average, except for December 2020 where flows in the Mekong mainstream were closer to normal. But river flows did not increase significantly.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.qx5yo1 | Published on: 30 Jun 2021 | Language: English

Situation Report on Hydrological Conditions in the Lower Mekong River Basin in July–December 2020

The report presents a preliminary analysis of the hydro-meteorological conditions in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) in July–December 2020. The report suggests that the LMB experience a second year of low flows at the beginning and a delayed onset of the wet season in 2020, with some parts experiencing low flows and appearing to be worse than that in 2019.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.qx5yo2 | Published on: 21 May 2021 | Language: English

Situation Report On Hydrological Conditions In the Lower Mekong River Basin in January-July 2020

The report presents a preliminary analysis of the hydro-meteorological conditions in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) in January-July 2020 and identifies multiple possible causes of the low flows and drought in 2020.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg3u0 | Published on: 07 Aug 2020 | Language: English

Annual Mekong Hydrology, Flood and Drought Report 2018

The report will replaces the Annual Mekong Flood Report to provide an annual summary on different hydrological subjects, ranging from flood, hydrology, and drought recognition to monitoring and early warning, remote sensing, modelling, and water management.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg3u4 | Published on: 09 Jul 2020 | Language: English

2019 Lower Mekong Water Quality Monitoring Report

This report contains the assessment of the status and trends of water quality at 30 stations across the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB). In addition to the assessment of water quality at all 17 mainstream and 5 Bassac stations, this report also includes the results of water quality analyses at 8 selected tributary stations covering 7 tributaries of the Mekong River, namely the Mae Kok River, Nam Ou River, Houay Mak Hiao, Nam Mun River, Se San River, Sre Pok River, and Tonle Sap River.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ay2l1c | Published on: 01 Jun 2020 | Language: English

An inception report on piloting a Joint Environmental Monitoring Programme on two Mekong Mainstream Dams ‘Don Sahong Hydropower Project and Xayaburi Hydropower Project’

The inception report explains how and why the piloting on the two Mekong mainstream dams (Xayaburi and Don Sahong) is being conducted. It details the types of monitoring to collect data around five disciplines: hydrology and hydraulics, sediment, water quality, aquatic ecology, and fish and fisheries.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg3ub | Published on: 20 May 2020 | Language: English

Understanding the Mekong River's hydrological conditions: A brief commentary note on the "Monitoring the Quality of Water Flowing Through the Upper Mekong Basin Under Mekong Basin Under Natural (Unimpeded) Conditions" study by Alan Basist and Claude Williams (2020)

This publication discusses the Mekong River’s hydrological conditions, as it attempts to offer a brief commentary on the “Monitoring the Quantity of Water Flowing Through the Upper Mekong Basin Under Natural (Unimpeded) Conditions” study by Alan Basist and Claude Williams.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg4w9 | Published on: 21 Apr 2020 | Language: English

Report on the 2017 Biomonitoring Survey of the Lower Mekong River Basin and Selected Tributaries

The report describes the biomonitoring survey conducted in the dry season of 2017 in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) which contributes to the evaluation of the overall ecological health of the river.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg4wd | Published on: 06 Feb 2020 | Language: English

Summary State of the Basin Report 2018

The State of Basin Report (SoBR) is a flagship product and an integral part of the MRC’s strategic planning cycle. Prepared every five years, the report assesses conditions within the basin and the impacts that development and use of the water and related natural resources are having. It is a basis for the Member Countries and other key stakeholders to discuss and determine appropriate actions for ensuring sustainable development of the Mekong basin.

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg4wl | Published on: 05 Feb 2020 | Language: English

Mekong River Basin Indicator Framework

The Mekong River Basin Indicator Framework provides a consistent and streamlined approach to data collection, analysis and reporting, to help alert Member Countries to the key issues and trends and identify areas for further investigation and cooperation across five core dimensions (environment, social, economic, climate change and cooperation).

Download | DOI: 10.52107/mrc.ajg4wi | Published on: 05 Feb 2020 | Language: English

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