Letters from the Mekong : site visit to Laos’ first two mainstream dam projects, executive summary

Examines the current status of mitigation efforts at Laos’ Xayaburi and Don Sahong dam projects on the mainstream of the lower Mekong River. The report is based on visits to Thailand and Laos in December 2014. Researchers found that the Xayaburi dam was little more that 40 percent complete. Main concerns include its potential impact on migratory fish species and the trapping of nutrient rich sediment. The Don Sahong project is at an earlier stage of development. The visits confirmed the researchers' concerns about the performance of the dams and their transboundary impacts.