Reuters —
The inter-governmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) said on Monday that levels on the vital waterway have “slightly” increased and it would look into why its outflow data from Chinese dams upstream differed from data later given by Beijing.
Whether or not China’s 11 dams are harming downstream nations dependant on the 4,350 km (2,700 mile) river has become a geopolitical issue, with the United States urging Lower Mekong governments to demand answers.
China says there are many reasons for falling river levels in recent years, including low rainfall and dams on other tributaries.
The river in Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia had fallen in many parts since January, with some sections turning blue instead of the usual brown colour – signaling shallow water and low levels of nutrition-rich sediment in the river that nearly 70 million people rely on for livelihoods.