Map of the Don Sahong Dam’s Location
The 260 MW Don Sahong Dam – the second dam to commence construction on the Mekong mainstream – spells disaster for Mekong fisheries. Located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls) area of southern Laos, less than two kilometers upstream of the Laos-Cambodia border, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating between Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin.
In a letter of “prior notification” sent to the Mekong River Comission (MRC) in September 2013, Laos made clear its intent to build the Don Sahong Dam. On January 16, 2014 the MRC’s Joint Committee – comprised of representatives from Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos – held a special meeting to discuss the Don Sahong Dam. At the meeting, while Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam raised concern over the dam’s transboundary impacts and unproven mitigation measures and the need for the project to undergo Prior Consultation under the MRC’s Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA), Laos asserted that Notification was sufficient. Following sustained pressure from its neighbors, the Lao government agreed to resubmit the Don Sahong Dam project for Prior Consultation. However the official start date for this process, July 25, 2014, was not announced until early October, nearly three months into the six-month process.
On January 27, 2015, the Joint Committee of the MRC held a special meeting to discuss the Prior Consultation process for the Don Sahong Dam. In their formal reply forms, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam all called for an extension to the Prior Consultation process, highlighting the need for further baseline studies, greater assesment of the project’s transboundary impacts and additional consultation. Laos however insisted that the Prior Consultation process was complete. As the four countries could not reach an agreement on how to proceed with the Don Sahong Dam, the decision was deferred to Ministerial level. On June 19, 2015, the MRC announced in a statement that, following further deliberations by the MRC Council,there were still differing views among the four countries on how to proceed, and the matter would be elevated to inter-government level, to be resolved through diplomatic channels. In early January 2016, the Government of Laos announced a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start to construction of the coffer dam. Since then, construction has progressed at a rapid pace and as of June 2016, the Hou Sahong Channel is completely blocked.
The dam is being developed by Malaysia’s Mega-First Corporation Berhad with consulting services provided by Australia’s SMEC New Zealand and the USA’s AECOM. China’s Sinohydro International Corporation has been contracted to construct the project.
This Don Sahong Dam “Media Kit” is intended to help journalists and researchers who seek more detailed information about the Don Sahong controversy. For more general background, please visit our Don Sahong webpage.
Background on the Don Sahong Dam:
- Don Sahong Dam Factsheet.
- Independent Review of the Don Sahong Dam EIA. (International Rivers, January 2014)
- The Don Sahong Dam and Mekong Fisheries. (WorldFish Center Science Brief, 2007)
- The Don Sahong Dam and the Mekong Dolphin. (WWF Science Brief, 2014)
- The Don Sahong Dam: Potential Impacts on Regional Fish Migrations, Livelihoods and Human Health. (Report by Dr. Ian Baird, 2009.)
- The MRC’s 2007 Review of the Don Sahong Dam’s Environmental Impact Assessment. (Report by the Mekong River Commission, 2007)
Prior Consultation Process for the Don Sahong Dam:
- “Further Deliberation and Study Still Needed on Don Sahong Dam.” (International Rivers PR, September 1, 2015)
- “Don Sahong Dam Construction Must Stop While Regional Deliberations Continue.” (International Rivers PR, June 21, 2015)
- “The Mekong River Commission’s Silence on the Don Sahong Dam Must End.” (International Rivers PR, June 18, 2015)
- “Regional Dispute Continues over Don Sahong Dam.” (International Rivers Statement, January 27, 2015)
- “MRC Must Safeguard the Mekong River as they Decide Fate of the Don Sahong Dam.”) International Rivers PR, January 26, 2015)
- “Flawed Consultation Rubber Stamp for Don Sahong Dam.” (International Rivers PR, December 11, 2014)
- “Prior Consultation for Don Sahong Dam Set to Fail Before it Has Begun.” (International Rivers PR, October 2, 2014)
- “Laos to Undergo Prior Consultation, But Continue Building Don Sahong Dam.” (International Rivers PR, June 26, 2014)
- “Déjà Vu for the Mekong – Don Sahong Dam Construction Sets Dangerous Path for Mekong River.” (International Rivers PR, June 18, 2014)
- Legal Briefing: How International Law Applies to the Don Sahong Dam. (International Rivers, March 2014)
- “Laos’ Trail and Error Approach Threatens the Mekong.” (International Rivers PR, November 11, 2013)
Regional and International Concern Over the Don Sahong Dam:
- “Mekong Dam Projects Could Destroy Livelihoods, Ecology.” (June 6, 2016)
- “Right Way Forward for the Mekong” (Bangkok Post, March 5, 2016)
- “Laos Ignores Dam Flak.” (Bangkok Post, November 4, 2015)
- “Environment Group Voices Concern Over Mekong Dam.” (Eco-Business, September 22, 2015)
- “Statement by the Rivers Coalition of Cambodia in Response to Approval of Concession Agreement for Don Sahong Dam.” (RCC, September 18, 2015)
- “Laos Dam Risks Damaging Mekong River, Igniting Tensions With Vietnam.”( The Diplomat, December 19, 2014)
- “Save the Mekong Coalition Call for Prime Ministers to Cancel Mekong Mainstream Dams.” (Press Release, June 25, 2014)
- “Lao Dam Troubles Mekong Waters.” (The Irrawaddy, May 11, 2014)
- “Vietnam Screams for Halt to Mekong Dams as Delta Silts Up.” (The Nation, April 30, 2014)
- “Cambodia Urges Laos to Delay Dam Construction.” (Cambodia Daily, April 7, 2014)
- “Nations Unite Against Dam.” (Phnom Penh Post, December 2, 2013)
News on the Don Sahong Dam:
- “Endangered Dolphins at Risk as Controversial Don Sahong Dam Taskes Shape.” (Channel News Asia, November 18, 2016)
- “Angkor Beer Maker Called Out Over Don Sahong Dam.” (The Phnom Penh Post, April 20, 2016)
- “Work Powers Ahead on the Don Sahong Dam.” (Vientaine Times, January 5, 2016)
- “MegaFirst awards RM1.3bil EPCC contract to China-based firm.” (The Star, October 16, 2015)
- “MegaFirst signs PPA for power plant project in Laos.” ( Stock Hut, October 1, 2015)
- “MegaFirst’s Risky Investment Threatens Future of the Mekong.” (Special to The Nation, May, 22, 2015)
- “Environmentalists Skeptical ahead of Laos Meeting on Hydropower Dam.” (VOA, December 10, 2014)
- “Activists Dismayed At Summit Outcome.” (Bangkok Post, April 6, 2014)
- “Opposition Grows to Laos’ Mega Dams Ahead of Summit.” (Cambodia Daily, 31 March 2014)
- “Proposed Laos dam on the Mekong raises ecological fears.” (South China Morning Post, November 22, 2013)
- “Don Sahong Charm Offensive Fails to Sway Skeptics.” (Cambodia Daily, November 16, 2013)
- “Laos Pushes Ahead With Second Mekong Dam Project.” (Radio Free Asia, November 12, 2013)
- “Emergency Meeting of the Mekong River Commission Urgently Needed-WWF.” (WWF Press Release October 4, 2013)
- “Fish Plunder at Stake: Laos Announces Plans to Build Don Sahong Dam.” (International Rivers Press Release, October 2, 2013)
- “New Laos Dam Plan Runs into Protest.” (Bangkok Post, October 3, 2013)
- “Laos Confirms ‘Preparatory’ Work on Controversial Dam Project.” (Radio Free Asia, 31 July 2013)
- “Progress on Don Sahong Dam Set Off a Time Bomb for Mekong Fish.” (Blog, July 16, 2013)
- “Laos Denies Dam Construction.” (Radio Free Asia, 4 September 2012)
What is at stake for the Mekong:
- “A Matter of Rights in the Future of the Mekong.” (International Rivers blog, December 22, 2016)
- “Mekong Leader’s Pliancy over Mainstream Dams a Blow for the River.” (International Rivers Press Release, April 5, 2014)
- “Regional Cooperation Needs Resuscitation at Mekong Summit.” (International Rivers Press Release, April 1, 2014)
- “Laos Holds Mekong Livelihoods in its Hands.” (Bangkok Post, Opinion, January 11, 2014)
- “Moratorium Needed on Mekong River Dams.” (National Geographic, November 7, 2013)
- “The Mekong Dam Dispute: Four Trends to Watch.” (Blog, August 15, 2013)
- “Foretelling the Mekong River’s Fate.” (International Rivers Factsheet on the MRC’s Strategic Environmental Assessment report, 2011)
- “Mekong Countries at Odds Over Mega-Dams.” (Article in the Fair Observer, February 5, 2013)
- “Cambodia, Vietnam and Donors Challenge Laos on Mekong Dams.” International Rivers Press Release, 18 January 2013)
- “Mekong Mainstream Dams: Threatening Southeast Asia Food Security.” (International Rivers Factsheet, 2009)
- “Saving the Mekong.” (Documentary that portrays the lives of fishers in the Siphandone area of Southern Lao, 2009)
Photos:
- A journey through Siphandone: Microcosm of the Mekong
- Construction of the Don Sahong Dam
- Don Sahong Dam site (Flickr Gallery)
- Photos from Field trip to Don Sahong Dam Site June 2014 (Flickr Gallery)
Map of the Don Sahong Dam:
