Mekong River drops to “worrying” levels, some sections turning blue-green Format Vientiane, Lao PDR, 12 February 2021 — Mekong River water levels between Jinghong hydropower station in China’s Yunnan province and the Mekong Delta in Viet Nam have fallen to worrying levels, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat said today. Water levels have dropped considerably since the beginning of the year due to lower rainfall, flow changes upstream, hydropower operations in the Mekong tributaries, and outflow restrictions from the Jinghong dam. “There have been sudden rises and falls in water levels immediately downstream of Jinghong and further down to Vientiane, which has been challenging for authorities and communities to prepare for and respond to possible impacts,” said Dr Winai Wangpimool, Director of the MRC Secretariat’s Technical Support Division.