Lower Sesan 2 Dam
The Cambodian Government has proposed the construction of a dam on the Sesan River in Stung Treng Province. The proposed Lower Sesan 2 Dam will force the resettlement of approximately 5,000 people, mostly Kavet and Khmer communities. The dam will be 75 meters high and flood more than 30,000ha of valuable agricultural and forest land.
Many of the problems caused by the Yali Falls Dam such as poor water quality, irregular water flows and a reduction in fish stocks will be made much worse for people living upstream of the Lower Sesan 2 Dam.
Community voices
Phluk Village in Strung Treng province is just 7km downstream from the proposed site of the Lower Sesan 2 Dam. Community members there have many fears about the possible impacts of the dam, which they discuss in the following video:
What we’re doing
Oxfam Australia has been working in the Mekong region for more than 20 years. We support a network of local and non-government organisations across the six countries in the region, linking grassroots village work with international and regional organisations.
We’re ensuring that communities are included in major development decisions that affect their environment and their access to the Mekong’s vital resources.
We’re especially concerned with assessing the impacts of development on women and ethnic minorities. We’re seeking to influence the drivers of this development, including development banks, donor governments and the private sector.
Find out more
- Read the 2009 report Best Practices in Compensation and Resettlement for Large Dams: The Case of the Planned Lower Sesan 2 Hydropower Project in Northeastern Cambodia, by the the Rivers Coalition in Cambodia
- Read more about how we’re monitoring development in the Mekong
- Read some of the recent media reports about development in the Mekong
