Rivers and lakes

For nearly 40 years, Ing Choeun, a 63-year-old fisherman in Prek Pnov district’s Samraong commune north of Phnom Penh has relied on fishing at Tamouk Lake to make a living and to feed his family. ​ ...

Conservationists and communities in the Anlong Kampi Irrawaddy dolphin conservation area in Kratie province said that despite the ban on fishing and regular patrols, fishing offences in the area are still happening which they said is cause for alarm. ...

Civil society organisations (CSOs) working on the environment and human rights have expressed concern about filling parts of Boeung Tamok Lake to create new parcels of land on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. ...

The U.S. Department of State has launched the Mekong Dam Monitor in collaboration with the Stimson Center and Eyes on Earth. The new Mekong Dam Monitor is a significant step toward improving understanding of the water conditions in the Mekong River Basin. ...

The Ministry of Environment and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working on environmental issues in Cambodia have expressed concern over the growing amount of plastic waste in Cambodia’s waterways, as many fishermen are now complaining that they have caught more rubbish than fish over the past ...

Authorities in Battambang province’s Ek Phnom district have been given permission to begin restoration of Takom Lake, a 10ha ancient lake located in the district’s Peam Ek commune. ...

The government is set to hand over 38ha of Boeung Tamok Lake for development, according to two sub-decrees dated September 1 and seen by The Post on Sunday. The first sub-decree says 15ha of the lake will be given to the National Committee for Disaster Management, ...

The Ministry of Environment has been tasked with compiling data on four areas that are home to Irrawaddy dolphins in Kratie and Preah Vihear provinces. The report is in preparation for possible inclusion on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage list. ...

In a weekly situation report, the MRC said low inflows from the Mekong and low rainfall in the Tonle Sap’s upper-catchment areas had “resulted in a very critical situation” for the lake. ...

The Mekong is once again at historical lows. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) gauge at Phnom Penh Port shows river level to be four metres below average for this time of year – and lower than last year’s record. ...

Kampong Cham provincial authorities have started work on a project to restore nearly 200 metres of river bank which collapsed in Kampong Cham city last June. ...

Boeng Tamouk is one of the last remaining lakes in Phnom Penh. The lake has stood the test of time and brought harmony to many villagers living around the body of water. ...

The government has decided to allocate 83ha surrounding Tamok Lake (Kob Srov lake) to the Phnom Penh municipal administration and the National Police to establish a garden and national park and construct the Central Security Department buildings and infrastructures. ...

The Mekong River Committee (MRC) today released a report on safeguarding livelihoods for fishing communities in Mekong countries, including Cambodia. ...

Stung Treng provincial authorities are coordinating a huge relocation of more than 130 families living on the banks of the Sekong River to prevent landslides and contribute positively to the town’s aesthetics. ...

Civil society organisations working on water management in Cambodia have expressed concern that Laos’ proposed Luang Prabang hydropower dam project and the existing upper Mekong River dam project will potentially cause more transnational impacts on hydrologic flow, movement of fish and sediment. ...

Now new research, as part of a project led by University of Southampton, has shown sand mining is causing river beds to lower, leading to riverbank instability and increasing the likelihood of dangerous river bank collapse, damaging infrastructure and housing and putting lives at risk. The ...

Every lake in Phnom Penh has been damaged by development and its wetlands decimated, leading to severe flooding, loss of livelihoods and disappearance of fish species, a new report says. ...

The Mekong River Commission on Tuesday reported dam equipment tests in China will affect water levels in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos in the middle of this month. In a press release obtained yesterday, the MRC said the tests are being conducted in China’s Jinghong hydropower station ...

Members of relevant ministries and institutions gathered on Friday and Saturday to discuss the importance of the Mekong to Cambodia from a policy standpoint and how the government can best work together to ensure the conservation of the river. The two-day meeting, held under the ...

On Cambodia’s Tonle Sap, record low water levels have plunged fishing communities into crisis but with warnings of “severe drought”, there are concerns the situation will get even worse.​ ...

Around 50 metres of riverbank on Saturday collapsed in Kampong Cham province’s Kampong Cham city and has affected a commune administration hall building. Provincial Governor Un Chanda, who inspected the collapse site in Veal Vong commune, on Saturday said he had ordered officials to tackle ...

As world leaders meet in New York from Monday to discuss the global challenge of climate change, thousands of kilometres away people in Cambodia are grappling with dramatic changes to the country’s ecosystem, including the lowest water levels in the crucially-important Mekong River ever recorded. The United Nations ...

Activists representing Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam yesterday urged their respective governments to consider the lives of people living around the Mekong River when building infrastructure projects. Some of the activists urged governments to increase impact assessment initiatives, while others called for the suspension of all ongoing ...