Earthquake resistant structure

• There have been a series of earthquakes near the project site in

recent years, and Dr Punya's warning comes after Phnom Penh
expressed concerns about the earthquake risk at Xayaburi to the
Laotian government in 2011.
• In 2011, two quakes hit 48 kilometres from the dam site, one of 5.4
magnitude and one of 4.6. A month later a quake of 3.9 occurred 60
kilometres from the site. In 2007, a 6.3-magnitude quake hit the
Xayaburi area.
• The Xayaburi dam poses a potential danger because there are active
faults close to the dam site.“
Navigation Log
• Maintain freedom of navigation in providing a two-step navigation
lock at the barrage for passage of boats up to 500 tons in future, as
defined in the agreement for river improvement by the government
of China, Myanmar, Lao PDR and Thailand. It is noted that at present
boats up to 30-50 tons can travel during dry season and 100-150 tons
during wet season;
Fisheries
alteration of the basin's natural flow
sediment regimes
• Maintain sediment passage by installing sluices for sediment flushing
• , protecting the turbines,
• avoiding deposits upstream of the barrage , as well as
• not reducing sediment inflow downstream,
• which may cause subsequent bank erosions and less protein for fish
consumption and less nutrient in water for agriculture.
geomorphologic makeup
• Maintain flow regime by operating in such a way that outflow equals
to inflow and power generation is obtained without peaking
operation to avoid water fluctuations upstream and downstream and
prevent consequent serious bank erosions;
food production characteristics of the basin's
ecosystems.
Characteristics of Xayabori Dam
Fisheries
Many areas of uncertainty remain concerning sediment transport in the Mekong River because of limited reliable data
and considerable scientific complexity. If dams are constructed on the main stem of the Lower Mekong
, they will alter the equilibrium of sediment transport. The experience of the scientific community with large
tropical rivers is still rather limited and further studies are required. Echoing other scientists, we recommend the action listed below.
•
Carry out further studies to strengthen the Mekong River Commission's role in technical guidance.
The need for a reliable, basin-scale sediment budget, including the main tributaries, must be stressed.
•
Identify tributary watersheds that produce significant amounts of sand.
Those watersheds should remain free of obstructions (dams and reservoirs)
to ensure that the delta remains supplied with sand in the future.
•
Set priorities taking into account the entire Mekong basin (including tributaries) and targeting the creation
of hydropower dam projects on rivers having a low amount of sandy bedload.
•
Establish stronger international institutions (define quotas for sand extraction,
set clear operating rules, and create the institutional means for international management
of sand transit through reservoirs and a much stronger sediment monitoring system).