Effect of Green house gasses produced during organic matter accumulation in a dam area in the Mekong

High accumulation of organic matter is taking place since a dam was constructed more than 17 years ago in the Ba Lai river (Mekong). Burial of organic matter over a long time period and in thick sediment layers creates anoxia as a consequence of bacterial decomposition. Since these biochemical processes generate large quantities of greenhouse gases such as methane, sulfide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and ammonium, some will negatively impact the aquatic life, especially the benthic fauna living in the sediments where these processes are taking place in the subsurface layers. This project will investigate the impact of the green house gasses on ecological processes, especially their effect on the benthic fauna. In this way we will continue to build capacity in environmental impact assessment and at the same time we will inform local stakeholders on the dam impacts by which an important river is turning into a muddy swamp. The change of this habitat will significantly impact the local people in their socio-economic activities. Hence, a suitable policy is necessary for future sustainable development of this river basin.