Why China is Killing Asia's 3rd Longest River

Select video clips courtesy of Getty Images

Select video clips courtesy of the AP Archive

Special thanks to MapTiler / OpenStreetMap Contributors and GEOlayers 3

Sources:

[tankjr]

I remember hearing about rolling blackouts in SE Asia and never thought about how a water shortage could cause that. Thanks for this video.

[kahn_owo]

As a Vietnamese highschooler just 2 years ago, in school we were taught about the drought crisis happening in the Mekong Delta. We did research and project with most updated data. I'm really glad that people around the world are becoming more aware of this problem. The drought affects not only multiple countries' stability, economy, it also making devastating impact on nature. I hope in the near future, this issue can be resolved through the cooperation of everyone on the globe.

[PhanNguyen-xbvz]

I grew up in the Mekong region south Vietnam, 15 years ago we have fish, crap, shrimp, snail, etc... in the river right in front of my house. Now you can't find a single one of them in the river anymore.

[christiangavrila]

I think the problem is the same for rivers flowing in a single country. Cross country complicates management and lowers responsibility, but it's not the root cause of the problems. The root cause is that hydro power is considered 100% clean, when its impact on the environment is in fact huge.

[BirdbrainEngineer]

Keeping water backed up behind dams not only alters the natural cycles of the river, but also increases evaporation... build enough dams and you can get a river to literally dry up before it reaches the sea. (This happens naturally in some places around the world - there is a river after rainfall, but it never makes it to any great body of water before evaporating)

[thechosenone]

The international community needs to create rules about the creation of dams and canals on cross border rivers. Just because you own the land doesn't mean you get to destroy the river for everyone downstream.

[xnut]

Have you done a video on the Colorado River dams an its effects down stream? In Mexico. Would be interesting

[danielcid]

This is what the USA did with the Colorado River, it destroyed the delta and changed dramatically the environment of northern Baja California, Mexico. Could you make a video on how this happened? I believe not many people know this.

[werth.loureth.]

It is a great problem to share rivers with neighbours. The same thing is occuring now with Egypt-Sudan/Ethiopia, and Iraq-Syria/Turkey! It is obvious these countries will taste thirst, for the first time! And probably, would be slaves for other countries, that possess dams upstream

[R.B.]

My fav part of this channel is how he uses random units of measurement for dramatic effect that means absolutely nothing to the majority of us. "This river is 3000km long, which is longer then stacking 4million deck of cards made by Hasbro on a calm Sunday afternoon in May before you eat lunch".

[hanchisun]

But only 10% of Mekong River's water supply comes from China. The other 90% comes from rain fall in the downstream.

[gamevalor]

Tibet should have stayed independent with international support to protect the water flow and as a buffer between India and China.

[kooroshshahidi]

Turkey is also doing the exact same thing to Iran and Iraq. But their actions does not just result in drought and power and electricity shortages, but in severe dust and sand storms and other massive environmental problems that are effecting millions of people and compromising the region of middle east. It would be intresting if you made a video similar to this one discussing that as well

[sellmyhomesell]

As a Cambodian, this is all very true. The Tonle Sap river have been getting more sallow year by year and many of my people rely on the Tonle Sap river to make a living.

[josephisrael]

Totally fascinating. Would be really amazing if you had a "recommended further reading" section in your descriptions as you always leave us wanting to learn more..

[keptarareach]

As a Cambodian, back in early 2019 to late that same year there was a very frequent lack of electricity. From Monday to Friday, you black out for about 6-8 hours on average a day from around 8am to 5 pm

[azarthi]

I remember riding down the Mekong river in Laos, a lot of small cities and towns around that river, can't imagine how many people will get hurt if it's killed of

[yabonjin]

Please add information on the historic flow volume of river at the border with China and what it is now. I think that’s the critical information to separate the effects of Chinese dams versus the effects of climate change. So strange that China will not even discuss cooperation.

[TheWebstaff]

This must be how Mexico feels about the Colorado River.
That no longer flows over the boarder.
You should cover what's happening at lake Mead and lake Powell

[VictorDeveze]

So basically, what the US did to Mexico with the Colorado River. Go to river delta, there isn't one anymore. The many dams built in the US dry up the river before it makes it into Mexico.