Launch of the Mekong Dam Monitor
(STL.News) On December 15, ?the U.S. Department of State 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.? Countries cannot effectively manage what they cannot measure, and for too long the people of the Mekong have lacked a transparent accounting of the basin’s water resources. The Mekong Dam Monitor?uses open-source remote sensing, satellite imagery, and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to provide?real time reporting of?climate conditions, estimated?river flows, and reservoir operation conditions in?the Mekong.
This?publicly available?tool?will significantly expand?the water data available in the?region, putting information into the hands of the people who need it the most?so they can make informed?decisions impacting livelihoods?and regional?security. ??The United?States?has long supported?calls from communities in the Mekong for expanded?water data?availability. The U.S. will continue to partner with?the Mekong River Commission ,?national governments, and local authorities to strengthen their capacity to access and use the best available data?in support of advanced?science-based decision making.
Through the Mekong-U.S. Partnership , the Department?continues to?improve water security.??The Mekong Dam Monitor contributes to existing initiatives under the Mekong Water Data Initiative by facilitating the exchange of best practices,?promoting?development partner coordination, and strengthening?Mekong governments?and local communities’?prosperity through?sustainably managed?and?shared water resources.