Dam and development projects are in the works along the Mekong River, which runs through six Asian countries. Some say the river and the economies that rely on it are being threatened.
"[T]oday the river, which courses 3,032 miles through portions of China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea, is rapidly being transformed by a rising tide of economic development, the region's thirst for electricity and the desire to use the river as a cargo thoroughfare. The Mekong has been spared the pollution that blackens many of Asia's great rivers, but it is no longer the backwater of centuries past.
China has built three hydroelectric dams on the Mekong (known as the Lancang in Chinese) and is halfway through a fourth at Xiaowan, which when completed will be the world's tallest dam, according to the United Nations Environment Program.
Laos is planning so many dams on the Mekong and its tributaries - 7 of about 70 have been completed - that government officials have said that their ambition is to turn the country into "the battery of Asia." Cambodia is planning two dams."
FULL STORY: Dams and Development Threaten the Mekong
GAO: Washington State Slow on Clean Water Reporting
The Clean Water Act mandates reporting of ‘impaired waters’ to support conservation and restoration efforts.
The Life and Death of American Dams
Many of the nation’s largest dam projects are reaching the end of their useful lives, helped along by nature.
2021 Most Endangered Rivers List Highlights Environmental Justice
The annual list of endangered rivers created by American Rivers has always documented pollution and other threats like dam construction, but this year, the confluence of water and systemic racism warrants extra attention.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.
Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.
Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service