Deadly Impacts

Should the canal and reservoirs planned for the Hailaer/Argun River be completed and put into operation, the downstream wetlands and communities will suffer severe impacts, as the Hailaer/Argun is the region’s primary source of water. Furthermore, this project could set a dangerous precedent in this drought-prone region that encourages municipalities to build additional water diversion facilities , rather than mandate more efficient and climate-appropriate water consumption practices.

Downstream impacts

• controlled river flow disrupts flood cycle, causing regional wetlands to shrink and dry up;
• decreased wetland area threatens migratory bird populations, including 19 internationally recognized endangered species;
• halted flood cycle prevents soil nutrient replenishment on the floodplain, decreasing grazing pastures and arable land downstream;
• increased drying of the local climate, causes desertification of the grasslands;
• shrinking water supply forces communities in China and Russia to use water with much greater concentration of pollutants, purchase water from elsewhere; and migrate to other areas in search of livable conditions.

Impact on Dalai Lake

• increased pollution from Hailaer/Argun River concentrated in the lake threatens fisheries, tourism, and public health and security.
• suspended wet-dry cycle degrades lake biodiversity and productivity, converting a living lake into a brackish reservoir.

Unpredictable Impacts throughout the Region

• altered wet-dry cycle disrupts migration patterns for all species throughout the Daurian ecosystem adapted to the natural fluctuations.
• improvident project sets off domino effect in nearby regions, serving as a precedent for similar projects to the Kherlen and other rivers in Mongolia;
• unilateral water diversion project will preclude Russia, China and Mongolia from establishing a coordinated, equitable and environmentally-sound water use strategy in the Amur River headwaters.