Chapter 6 - The Sediment Load of the Mekong River

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of existing information and understanding related to the magnitude of the suspended sediment load of the Mekong River and the key features of its sediment transport regime. It also discusses the recent and potential future changes in the sediment load of the river. As a large river basin impacted by accelerated development in recent years, including population growth, land clearance, infrastructure development, and water resource and hydropower development, the sediment load of the Mekong River might be expected to have changed over the previous years and the ongoing construction of a suite of large reservoirs on the headwaters of the river in China is likely to bring further changes in the future. One of the data sources represents the sediment measurement program undertaken by the Chinese authorities on the Upper Mekong or Lancang River at Jinghong, China. Despite the international status of the Mekong River, access to these data is unfortunately restricted, particularly for recent years. Another data source is the water quality monitoring network established by the Mekong River Commission in 1985 and which includes three of the sites where sediment monitoring has been undertaken, namely Chiang Saen, Luang Prabang, and Pakse. This is primarily a water quality-monitoring program, but the determinands include total suspended solids.