Alert: 02/22/2025
A sudden release of water at dams in China will cause the Mekong River to rise 0.50 meters at Chiang Saen, Thailand on February 24.
Spotlight
China enables low river levels for regional new year celebrations
Recent data from China’s Jinghong monitoring station shows authorities keeping the Mekong River at a low and steady level as the Dai ethnic community in Yunnan celebrates its traditional New Year. This pattern has appeared consistently over the past five years. Maintaining lower river levels during this period supports New Year traditions across the Mekong region, particularly water‑related rituals. For example, splashing ceremonies and the washing of Buddha statues which symbolizes cleansing and preparation for the upcoming wet season. Communities downstream in Laos and Thailand also benefit, as lower water levels improve access to riverbanks and waterways during the celebrations. During the dry season, running from December to May, China’s dams typically release water for hydropower production which significantly lifts river levels all the way to Cambodia. Water releases will likely resume in a few weeks, and the river will return to artificially high levels.
What Happened Last Week?
- Where’s the Water: Collectively, dams throughout the basin recorded exceptionally high releases over the last three weeks, totaling an estimated 2.5 billion cubic meters. Major releases last week came from Xiaowan (PRC, 207 million cubic meters), Nuozhadu (PRC, 307 million cubic meters), Nam Ngum 1 (LAO, 208 million cubic meters), and Ubol Ratana (THA, 169 million cubic meters). Where is the water?
- River Levels: Levels throughout the lower Mekong are closer to the long-term average due to temporary upstream flow restrictions from China’s dams. See how this looks.
- Where’s the Water: Collectively, dams throughout the basin recorded exceptionally high releases over the last three weeks, totaling an estimated 2.5 billion cubic meters. Major releases last week came from Xiaowan (PRC, 207 million cubic meters), Nuozhadu (PRC, 307 million cubic meters), Nam Ngum 1 (LAO, 208 million cubic meters), and Ubol Ratana (THA, 169 million cubic meters). Where is the water?
Image of the Week
Stung Treng reaches all-time high levels for this time of year.
Upstream dam releases, particularly those from China’s Xiaowan Dam, have lifted river levels at Stung Treng, Cambodia to the highest levels recorded. High river levels during the dry season provide very few benefits to the countries of the Mekong as dry season irrigation is mostly only practiced in Vietnam’s Delta. High river levels, however, do much damage to local ecosystems. For example, in the Stung Treng flooded forest trees are rapidly dying due to their root systems remaining underwater throughout most of the year. Also, local people cannot practice farming along the river’s banks during the dry season due to high and unpredictable levels, placing limits on their own food production.
Where is the Water?
How Wet is the Mekong Basin?
How Much Water is in Reservoirs by Country?
Current volume (billion cubic meters) of usable water across the 45 largest reservoirs in the Mekong Basin.
- Click or hover over icons on map for more details.
How Much Water is in the Largest Reservoirs?
- Hover over chart to track reservoir volume for any particular week during the year.
How Strong is the Floodpulse?
How Wet is the Mekong Floodplain?
Where did River Flow Come From?
What Should River Levels Be?
Chiang Saen Gauge (Thailand) [UNDER MAINTENANCE]
Stung Treng Gauge (Cambodia)
Chau Doc Gauge (Vietnam)
For more info, click Natural River Flow Models in the top menu.
How do Dams Impact Different Points along the Mainstream?
How was the Weather Last Week?
- Click on maps to expand and for more details.
For more information, click Compare Maps and Data in the top menu.
Which Dams Impacted the Most?
- Click or hover over icons on map for more details.
Reservoirs with an estimated change of more than 50 million cubic meters (m³) of water over last 7 days.
For more info, click Virtual Gauges in the top menu.
Current Reservoir Volume for 58 Dams
- Hover over reservoir bars to see current or potential volume
For more info, click Virtual Gauges in the top menu.