Tonle Sap Falls 1.5 Meters, Fisheries at Risk

Cambodia’s Tonle Sap, home to about 1.5 million people, is facing unusually low water levels as a severe El Niño and climate change intensify drought and threaten the Mekong-fed flood pulse that sustains the lake’s fisheries. Water near Prek Kdam was reported about 1.5 meters lower than the previous year, reducing fish catches and income for lake residents. Upstream dams, sand mining and changing rainfall patterns are also disrupting the lake’s seasonal cycle, while higher living and fuel costs add to the strain. The pressures threaten livelihoods and a longstanding way of life in the lake’s floating communities, and could also affect nearby farms and forests.