Nam Ngum Dam
Encyclopedia
The Nam Ngum Dam is a hydroelectric dam
on the Nam Ngum
river, a major tributary of the Mekong
in Laos
.
) is a popular day trip destination, with floating restaurant
s moored at the south-western shore (near the dam and the village of Ban Thalat); here there are also boats for hire to cruise on the lake and visit some of the islands.
.
There is underwater logging
of mainly teak
wood going on from floating rigs - some 250 km² of forest were inundated when the dam was completed.
Fishing is an important means of livelihood for many people living along the lake, many of whom lost their original means of subsistence when the area was flooded, and had to be resettled.
and, specifically for the Nam Ngum Dam, an article by The International Development Research Centre
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the Nam Ngum
Nam Ngum
Nam Ngum is a 354 km long river of Laos and one of major tributaries of the Mekong. It originates from the Northern mountainous region of Xiangkhoang Province and flows south through Vientiane Province joining the Mekong at Vientiane Capital.Nam Ngum River basin is home for about 1 million...
river, a major tributary of the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
.
Location
The dam is approx. 90 km north of Vientiane, a 250 square km artificial reservoir that has an intriguing secret beneath its surface. Travelers can enjoy sailing and fishing on this placid lake, and the reservoir ("Ang Nam Ngum" in LaoLao language
Lao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
) is a popular day trip destination, with floating restaurant
Floating restaurant
A floating restaurant is a kind of vessel which is usually a type of steel barge used as a restaurant on water. For example, the Jumbo Palace at Aberdeen in Hong Kong is one such restaurant. Sometimes retired ships are given a second lease on life as floating restaurants. The former car ferry New...
s moored at the south-western shore (near the dam and the village of Ban Thalat); here there are also boats for hire to cruise on the lake and visit some of the islands.
History and Capacity
The dam was financed with foreign assistance and completed in 1971 (two turbines with a capacity of 30 megawatts); the capacity was extended in 1975 (two additional 40-megawatt turbines were installed) and 1983 (a fifth turbine). The capacity now is 960 million kWh (see reference below).Economic Benefits
Since its completion the dam has been producing a significant amount of foreign exchange earnings, approx. 70 – 80% of the electricity it generates being exported to ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
There is underwater logging
Underwater logging
Underwater logging is the process of logging trees from underwater forests. When artificial reservoirs and dams are built, large areas of forest are often inundated; although the trees die, the wood is often preserved. The trees can then be felled using special underwater machinery and floated up...
of mainly teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
wood going on from floating rigs - some 250 km² of forest were inundated when the dam was completed.
Fishing is an important means of livelihood for many people living along the lake, many of whom lost their original means of subsistence when the area was flooded, and had to be resettled.
Negative Aspects
As with many big hydropower projects, the overall benefits of the Nam Ngum dam and reservoir are not undisputed. See hydroelectricityHydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
and, specifically for the Nam Ngum Dam, an article by The International Development Research Centre