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Cambodia starts work on canal linking Mekong River to sea
(www.aljazeera.com)
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this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2024
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I'm no expert in such things, wouldn't it contribute to desalination of the ocean?
No. The river runs into the ocean anyway, and even if a new source of freshwater were to run into the ocean, the oceans are so massive there wouldn't be any measurable change in salinity. A canal like this probably won't have much flow anyway, as it's meant for shipping and transportation rather than water diversion or irrigation.
The article does note some concerns in terms of additional pollution and disruption of wildlife due to increased traffic and more industry.
Thanks!
I'll add. Salination of the river is likely a greater risk. But still small.
As rivers tend to have flow from high land too low. As they enter the ocean. The positive flow (current) prevents the brine area going to far into land.
Because canals tend to only move water with navigation. At each lock there is less, preventing salt water mixing further up where the canal joins the river.
Of course this is to some extent expected and modern canals can limit it. Simply by providing a current from the river going through weirs at each lock.
Exactly as navigational canals used to move water do.