General Knowledge

The deepest cycling underwater is 66.5 m (218 ft 2.11 in) and was achieved by Vittorio Innocente (Italy) in Santa Margherita Ligure, Liguria, Italy, on 21 July 2008.

The border between Belgium and Netherlands goes through a restaurant in Baarle – Nassau

Skógafoss, Iceland
Skógafoss is a waterfall situated in the south ofIceland. It is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country with a width of 25 metres (82 feet) and a drop of 60 m (200 ft). Due to the amount ofspray the waterfall consistently produces, a single or double rainbow is normally visible on sunny days

The first law school in the world was built in Lebanon, in Downtown Beirut.

Claudia Mitchell - first woman to have a bionic arm -
a prosthetic limb that she controls with her mind.

WOW!!!.....Blue lagoon Galapagos island, Ecuador

Sink Holes←
In 2007, natural disasters create a depth of 300 feet
sinkhole swallowed a dozen homes in Guatemala–
killing 2 and causing thousands of people were
evacuated. The sinkhole was caused by rain and
underground waste stream.

Stone house in Portugal was built in 1973

The Three Sisters” - rock formation, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia !!

Baatara gorge waterfall is a waterfall in the Tannourine, Lebanon.
The waterfall descends the Baatara Pothole, located on the Lebanon Mountain Trail. Discovered in 1952, the waterfall drops 255 m into a cave of jurassic limestone.
The cave is also known as the “Cave of the Three Bridges.”

Water Trivia Facts

1. Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh water.
2. 97% of the water on Earth is salt water.
3. The water found at the Earth’s surface in lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and swamps makes up only 0.3% of the world’s fresh water.
4. 68.7% of the fresh water on Earth is trapped in glaciers.
5. 30% of fresh water is in the ground.
6. 1.7% of the world’s water is frozen and therefore unusable.
7. Water covers 70.9% of the Earth’s surface.
8. Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid including sulfuric acid.
9. More than 25% of bottled water comes from a municipal water supply, the same place that tap water comes from.
10. A ten meter rise in sea levels due to melting glaciers would flood 25% of the population of the United States. 
11. There is more fresh water in the atmosphere than in all of the rivers on the planet combined.
12. If all of the water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere fell at once, distributed evenly, it would only cover the earth with about an inch of water. 
13. Water boils quicker in Denver, Colorado than in New York City. 
14. Approximately 400 billion gallons of water are used in the United States per day. 
15. Nearly one-half of the water used by Americans is used for thermoelectric power generation.
16. In one year, the average American residence uses over 100,000 gallons (indoors and outside).
17. It takes six and a half years for the average American residence to use the amount of water required to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool (660,000 gallons).
18. It takes seven and a half years for the average American residence to use the same amount of water that flows over the Niagara Falls in one second (750,000 gallons).
19. American residents use about 100 gallons of water per day.
20. Americans use more water each day by flushing the toilet than they do by showering or any other activity.
21. In 1900, 25,000 American’s died of typhoid. By 1960, thanks to the use of chlorine in water treatment, that number dropped to 20.
22. At 50 gallons per day, residential Europeans use about half of the water that residential Americans use.
23. Residents of sub-Saharan Africa use only 2-5 gallons of water per day.
24. The average faucet flows at a rate of 2 gallons per minute.  You can save up to four gallons of water every morning by turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth. 
25. Taking a bath requires up to 70 gallons of water.  A five-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons.
26. A running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day.
27. The New York City water supply system leaks 36 million gallons per day.
28. If you drink your daily recommended 8 glasses of water per day from the tap, it will cost you about 50 cents per year. If you choose to drink it from water bottles, it can cost you up to $1,400 dollars. 
29. There are approximately one million miles of water pipeline and aqueducts in the United States and Canada, enough to circle Earth 40 times.
30. The first water pipes in the US were made from wood (bored logs that were charred with fire). 
31. The first municipal water filtration works opened in Paisley, Scotland in 1832
32. A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds.
33. A cubic foot of water weighs 62.4 pounds
34. An inch of water covering one acre (27,154 gallons) weighs 113 tons.
35. Water vaporizes at 212 degrees F, 100 degrees C.
36. It takes more water to manufacture a new car (39,090 gallons) than to fill an above ground swimming pool.
37. It takes more than ten gallons of water to produce one slice of bread.
38. Over 713 gallons of water go into the production of one cotton T-shirt. 
39. 1000 gallons of water are required to produce 1 gallon of milk.
40. Roughly 634 gallons of water go into the production of one hamburger.
41. Water is the only substance found on earth naturally in three forms: solid, liquid and gas.
42. At 1 drip per second, a faucet can leak 3,000 gallons per year.
43. Water makes up between 55-78% of a human’s body weight.

Water Pollution in India

Water pollution is becoming a huge problem which is faced by all of the human existence and as well as by every wild life species. According to present scales for pollution of water, 10 to 15 billion pounds full of waste materials like garbage is threw in different seas and rivers of the entire world. Not only had this, now, as per the latest records for water pollution in India; had 20 billion gallons of drinking water pollution also dumped in running rivers and seas. Water pollution is associated with the contamination of water bodies like lake, river, ocean and groundwater. It occurs when various pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly in water bodies without adequate treatment of the harmful waste substance or without the removal of harmful waste compounds. Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants and either does not support a human use or undergoes a marked shift in its ability to support its constituent biotic communities, such as fish.

A small quantity of a toxic chemical may have little impact if it is spilled into the ocean from a ship. But the same amount of the same chemical can have a much bigger impact pumped into a lake or river, where there is less clean water to disperse it. Surface water and groundwater have often been studied and managed as separate resources, although they are interrelated. Sources of surface water pollution are generally grouped into two categories based on their origin. They are i) point- source and ii) non- point source. Point source pollution refers to contaminants that enter a waterway through a discrete conveyance, such as a pipe or ditch. It mainly includes waste coming out from factories, industries, sewage treatment and city drains. Non- point source pollution refers to diffuse contamination that does not originate from single discrete sources. NPS pollution is often the cumulative effect of small amounts of contaminants gathered from a large area. The leaching out of nitrogen compounds from agricultural land which has been fertilized is a typical example.

Water pollution is caused mainly by toxic pollutants, organic substances (entry of manure and sewage), and use of pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers in agriculture, allowing cattle to graze near waterways often results in washing away of organic ways, it can be contaminated by radioactive waste material, improper disposal of hazardous chemicals drain toxic chemicals into water bodies, mild acid and bases also contribute in water pollution. Pathogens also enter in water bodies and contaminate it. Organic compounds such as volatile organic compounds, detergents, food processing waste, petroleum and hydrocarbons also severely affect the environment. Inorganic compounds include acidity, ammonia and chemical waste and heavy metals such as lead etc.

DO YOU KNOW>Water pollution has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every day. Some 90% of China's cities suffer from some degree of water pollution, and nearly 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water. In addition to the acute problems of water pollution in developing countries, industrialized countries continue to struggle with pollution problems as well. In the most recent national report on water quality in the United States, 45 percent of assessed stream miles, 47 percent of assessed lake acres, and 32 percent of assessed bay and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted.

Water pollution has become indispensible part of our life and we can find its presence everywhere. It has many devastating effects on aquatic as well as on human life. It leads to eutrophication due to which marine life is severely affected. A number of waterborne diseases are produced by the pathogens present in polluted water, affecting humans and animals alike such as cholera or typhoid. Pollution affects the chemistry of water. The pollutants, including toxic chemicals, can alter the acidity, conductivity and temperature of water. As per the records, about 14000 people perish or incur various communicable diseases due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water. The concentration of bacteria and viruses in polluted water causes increase in solids suspended in the water body, which, in turn, leads to health problems. Marine life becomes deteriorated due to water pollution. Lethal killing of fish and aquatic plants in rivers, oceans and seas is an after effect of water contamination only. Diseases affecting the heart, poor circulation of blood and the nervous system and ailments like skin lesion, cholera and diarrhoea are often linked to the harmful effects of water pollution. Carcinogenic pollutants found in polluted water might cause cancer. Alteration in the chromosomal makeup of the future generation is foreseen, as a result of water pollution. Discharges from power stations reduce the availability of oxygen in the water body, in which they are dumped. The flora and fauna of rivers, sea and oceans is adversely affected by water pollution.

There are several steps that can be taken to help prevent water pollution from getting worse.

• Water pollution can be prevented by conservation of soil as soil erosion is one of the biggest causes of water pollution today. When we take initiative to conserve soil, we also conserve water and water life. Planting vegetative covers, strict erosion management and implementing beneficial farming methods are just a few of the many possible approaches to soil conservation.
• Utilization of a green infrastructure approach to improve stormwater management capacity throughout the system, and reduce the hydraulic overloading of the treatment plant is an effective way to conserve water.
• Repairing and replacement of leaking and malfunctioning equipment should be done to ensure proper working of machines up to their potential.
• Toxic chemicals should be properly disposed and there should be minimum use of volatile organic compounds (VOC).
• Minimal use of plastics should be done in order to prevent fresh extraction and mining.
• Awareness should be spread among the common people so that they can come forward to reduce water pollution.
• Limited use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides should be there in order to reduce the concentration of harmful pollutants in water sources.
• Industrial waste should be treated properly before it is discharged to the water bodies.

These steps may not look so effective but when a millions of people develop into a concerned citizen then surely they would be able to achieve control over water pollution.

Effects of Marine Pollution

The beauty of our earth is that its ecology is perfect for the growth and development of all forms of biological life. The major component of this ecology is land, air and water bodies of all kinds. Oceans make up the main part of water bodies on the earth and are also home to a large number and wide variety of species or life forms. Over the years and especially in modern times, surplus human activities have adversely affected the marine life. The most important ill effect has been pollution. Incidents of oil spills, industrial waste dumping, garbage disposal and accumulation of various toxic materials as wastes, from many processes has polluted almost all the major aquatic bodies around the globe.

Causes of Marine Pollution

Though, the causes of this serious state of marine bodies are many, there are those that stand out amongst the rest. Oil spills are becoming a major hazard as tankers and cargo ships discharge it either deliberately or accidentally. Poisonous materials like PCBs, mercury, PAHs and dioxins along with other radioactive wastes that are disposed into these bodies cause enormous marine pollution. In addition to these, the damage occurring due to the large scale and insensitive disposal of human wastes and sewage contents into oceans is unimaginable. Moreover, the dead organic matter that remains in the water causes further pollution that is very dangerous to the existing life forms.

Effects of Marine Pollution

The effects of the marine pollution are as huge and varied as the causes themselves. The oil pollution results in disruptions to the cycle of coral reefs, clogging of the gills of fishes thereby resulting in their death and hampering the process of photosynthesis of marine plants leading to their end. Oil pollution on a large scale also indirectly affects areas that may not have seen the spill. The disposal of toxic wastes has both direct and indirect effect on marine life and equally hazardous consequence on the human race as we are closely linked with aquatic life forms in many ways. Toxins along with garbage deplete the oxygen content of the water thus making it impossible for many life forms including bigger species like whales, dolphins, penguins, shark, iguana and seals to survive.

Some of these substances like the normal DDTs and pesticides accumulate in the fatty acids of animals and results in the failure of reproductive system of some of the species especially mammals.  Apart from these, activities like farming, forestry and mining if not done with care lead to sediments being deposited in the waters and impacts adversely both plant as well as animal life in the oceans.  Plastic debris, discarded fishing nets and other similar items that are there purely because of human negligence act as severe agents of marine pollution and have an effect that cannot be imagined unless witnessed. The large scale death of animals due to plastic consumption like the sea turtles who consume it thinking it to be jellyfish is an example.

The Water-Food-Energy Nexus

Freshwater has been the constant and essential companion of homo sapiensthroughout our history. In modern times, we have risked even greater dependence by adopting means of wealth creation characterised by gargantuan thirst. 

Industry accounts for 22% of freshwater use, the largest share of which is consumed by the energy sector. Water is used in great quantities for cooling in thermal and nuclear power generation, as well as in the extraction of coal and oil. Protests against new fossil fuel technologies such as gas fracking and oil sands are inspired in part by fears of wastage and pollution of water. 

Although the relative needs of agriculture vary widely – from just 3% in the UK to 83% in India – this sector currently accounts for the largest global share of freshwater at about 70%. The dynamic expansion of food production in Asia over the last 40 years – often described as the “green revolution” - has been achieved through modern farming methods which require high input of water. 

...and modern: Eggborough cooling towers

Households consume the remaining small share of 8% but demand the highest quality standards for safe drinking. Despite considerable humanitarian endeavour over the last three decades, almost 900 million people continue to lack access to safe water. 

The close dependence of industry and agriculture on freshwater ensures that any scarcity is likely to impose upward pressure on food and energy prices. This is the scenario that strikes fear into political leaders struggling to restore economic health. Prudent stewardship of the water cycle is nevertheless a virtue honoured more in the breach than in the observance. 

News headlines provide constant reminders of this failing. The drought in the Horn of Africa demands emergency food aid for over 12 million people and has led to the first UN declaration of famine in over 20 years.
Water Cycle 

Our planet is a miserly distributor of freshwater. Most water is rendered useless to humanity by dilution with salt in the ocean. Only 2.5% is available as freshwater, of which two thirds is locked up in ice and snow. 

Kuang Xi Waterfall

The water cycle is driven by evaporation from land and sea, condensing into clouds which have the potential for precipitation as rain. Again, nature is unkind in depositing almost 80% of rain over the sea. 

Of the rain that falls over land, only 40% finds its way as “blue water” into aquifers, lakes and rivers which are accessible supply sources. The “green water” balance is absorbed by the land, of great potential value to agriculture but notoriously fickle for that purpose in volume, timing, intensity and location. 

Thanks to this natural cycle, water is a renewable source of energy and life. However, unlike other renewable resources such as sun, wind and tide, freshwater is not plentiful. It is a finite resource. 

The current global per capita availability of freshwater from rivers, lakes, aquifers and rainfall averages a potentially healthy 6,000 cubic metres per annum. Availability of 1,000 cubic metres per annum within a country or region is regarded as sufficient to meet the needs of households, agriculture, industry - and to sustain local ecosystems. 

A state of water scarcity exists below that threshold. Below 1,700 cubic metres, short term periods of "water stress" may be experienced. 

Average annual consumption in the US is just under 3,000 cubic metres; in Syria and Jordan, availability is falling towards 500 cubic metres; in Yemen the figure is now below 200. 

Freshwater is very unevenly distributed and scarcity is normally assessed within regions or individual river basins. “Water security”, the inverse of scarcity, implies consistent and affordable access to unpolluted freshwater for all categories of user.
Causes of Water Scarcity 

Unsustainable extraction of freshwater and other human interference with the water cycle are the immediate causes of water scarcity within a river basin. 

Sahito Banbhro tubewell, Pakistan

Over-extraction has its most straightforward manifestation in the level of aquifers, underground reserves charged by the passage of water through soil and rocks. If withdrawals exceed the natural rate of recharge, the level of an aquifer will fall, eventually drying up altogether. In parts of India, the water table is believed to have fallen more than 300 metres. 

Human intervention which degrades the quantity and quality of the natural supply of freshwater occurs in three principal ways. 

Firstly, there are 48,000 large dams in place around the world, with many more under construction. Dams alter the natural flow of a river, often improving water and energy security for some, at the expense of others. 

Secondly, soil moisture is lost in land degradation that results from poor farming practices and deforestation. And thirdly, surface waters are polluted by run-off of chemicals used in farming and by untreated industrial and household wastewater in cities. This is an acute problem in less developed countries where environmental and sanitation regulations remain inadequate. 

In many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, there is an additional category of “economic” water scarcity which is caused by too little human intervention. This occurs when natural supplies are sufficient to meet demand but fail to reach users due to shortcomings in distribution or storage infrastructure.
Environmental Limits 

Disruption of the water cycle has potentially serious environmental side effects. Cities are known to be sinking as aquifers become empty. This factor was one cause of the serious flooding in Bangkok towards the end of 2011. In coastal regions, depleted aquifers increase the risk of saline intrusion. 

Agro-chemical pollution through run-off of nitrates and phosphates causes eutrophication, the excessive growth of algae whose eventual decomposition removes oxygen from the water, killing the aquatic ecosystem. 

A combination of dams, drought and over-extraction can restrict the environmental flow of the river to the extent that it fails to complete its normal journey to the sea. 

Murray-Darling River, Australia/Neil Saunders

A quarter of the world’s rivers suffer this fate. Important examples include the Yellow River in China and the Murray-Darling River in Australia. The rich ecosystem of the deltas are at risk.

“Global freshwater use” is listed as one of nine planetary boundaries in the influential 2009 study published by the Stockholm Resilience Centre. “These can trigger abrupt system state change when critical thresholds have been crossed,” warns the report. 

An example might be Lake Chad. Misguided governance of the natural cycle of the Lake led to its area of water collapsing by 90% in the space of 30 years, affecting 20 million people.
Future Demand 

The underlying drivers for continued strong demand for freshwater are population growth and rising incomes. 

Precious water resource, Morocco

World population is projected to grow from 7.0 billion to 9.3 billion by 2050. Rising living standards will demand higher volume of household water use, together with richer diets and more consumer goods. All of these changes drive water consumption. 

Most of the population growth will occur in the cities of developing countries, many of which are already logistically overwhelmed by growth and unregulated slum development. Whilst cities were often founded in proximity to good freshwater supplies, the benevolence of nature rarely extends to megacity concentrations of over ten million people. 

In addition to safe drinking water and sanitation, the rising pressure on freshwater will be felt most acutely in the energy and food sectors. 

The latter is already in crisis, with almost a billion people experiencing hunger. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that global food production must rise by 70% by 2050. 

World primary energy demand will increase by 36% between 2008 and 2035, according to the International Energy Agency. Despite the emergence of renewable energy sources, dependence on traditional water-intensive mining and power generation is projected to rise in coming years. 

The cumulative effect of these demand drivers will lift global demand for freshwater by 53% by 2030, according to the 2030 Water Resources Group, a consortium of private sector interests supported by the World Bank. One third of the global population, mostly in developing countries, will live in regions where demand for water exceeds supply by more than 50%. 

Climate Change 

With projections of supply and demand for freshwater veering off in opposite directions, global warming represents the worst possible intervention. Rising planetary temperatures will accelerate the pump of the water cycle through faster evaporation from land and sea into a warmer atmosphere. 

House buried by sand in Mauritania

The implications for rainfall are of course the subject of intensive research. There is broad agreement that monsoon patterns will change in timing and intensity, that arid and semi-arid regions will become drier, and that extremes of drought and flooding will become more frequent. Rising sea levels will aggravate the problem of groundwater salinity. 

Much uncertainty remains, especially in focusing predictions on national or regional areas that match the scope of policy response. And the effect on the El Nino and La Nina climate phenomena remains unclear. 

Even where predictions of rainfall trends are confident, there is insufficient understanding of the mechanics of run-off and groundwater recharge to fully grasp the implications. This same is true for the consequences of the melting of the world’s glaciers which together account for 40% of global irrigation. The net impact on crop yields and soil conservation is also uncertain. 

Water scarcity therefore presents policymakers with a perfect storm of known and “known unknown” threats. But hesitation wins no sympathy in nature. The 2011 emergency water relief for the Pacific island of Tuvalu delivered a preview of water scarcity in a warming world.
Practical Solutions 

Most of the world’s poor are dependent on small farms in developing countries, inadequately equipped to respond to water problems. This is where sustainable solutions are most needed and are most challenging.

Drip irrigation in Niger

In Asia the tasks are to reduce demand for irrigation and to restore water tables. Most irrigation is currently performed by indiscriminate flooding of fields, highly inefficient and wasteful.Modern drip irrigation technologycan reduce water use by around 50% and increase yields through its targeted application. 

Underground aquifers are by nature ideal for adaptation to variable rainfall. Groundwater recharge can be revived by maintenance of neglected storage tanks and drainage, supported by simple rainwater harvesting technologies. 

In sub-Saharan Africa the problems are very different. Nearly all of the farming is rainfed but only 4% of rainfall is captured for the purpose. Government and donors are under considerable pressure to reverse their long term neglect of this sector of agriculture. 

Integrated programmes of land and water management would upgrade farmers' awareness of techniques to conserve soil moisture and structure. Selection of diversified and drought-tolerant crops represents basic risk management. 

In view of the uncertain effects of climate change at local levels, most climate adaptation strategies will focus on steps that are consistent anyway with establishing greater resilience to variable rainfall.
Theoretical Solutions 

Richer countries can in theory contribute to management of water scarcity by leveraging the economic tools of modern consumer societies. 

Virtual water ready for export, South Australia

Measurement of water consumed throughout the manufacturing supply chain has provided an invaluable starting point for raising awareness amongst corporations and consumers alike. The figures are startling: 140 litres of freshwater are required for a single cup of coffee, 6,000 litres for a pair of denim jeans and more than 15,000 litres for a kilo of beef. 

This invisible input has become known as “virtual water”, a concept especially useful for illustrating the movement of water between countries in traded goods. The methodology can also be aggregated to quantify the water footprint of individuals and businesses. 

These ideas have inspired economists to suggest replicating the familiar model for mitigating carbon dioxide emissions. This would involve a global system for countries and businesses to trade the right to consume water. Informed choices by individual consumers would be enabled by labelling retail goods with their water footprint. 

These proposals remain on the drawing board. Unlike carbon dioxide which has the same environmental consequences regardless of where it is emitted, the impact of water consumption varies widely according to its local availability. 

Failure to price water as a scarce environmental resource is one of the fault lines of modern market economics. The consequences of the green revolution in Asia were exacerbated by allowing farmers unlimited free access to water. The world’s largest exporters of beef and manufactured goods, Australia and China respectively, are countries which experience serious water scarcity.
Governance Issues 

Reconciling the demands of competing users of water is especially challenging where responsibilities are fragmented between different government departments. 

Governments are encouraged to focus accountability for coordinating the water implications of goals for poverty reduction, food security and energy security. The demanding ideal of pulling together both human and environmental needs is often described as “integrated water resources management.” 

Poor governance standards in many developing countries can nevertheless enable powerful interests to gain disproportionate access to scarce water resources. An extreme example is the phenomenon known as “land-grabbing”. 

The acquisition of agricultural land in developing countries is being pursued by foreign investors and by wealthy governments seeking to overcome their own food and water insecurity. Displacement of the poor from land on which they have enjoyed customary use too often equates with the loss of water rights. 

Governments are being reminded of their obligations to protect access to water for all citizens. A resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in July 2010 recognises “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right.” 

At international level, there is a governance vacuum on water scarcity. UN Water is not an implementing agency – its role is to strengthen coordination and coherence among other UN entities dealing with freshwater. 

There is no UN Convention to tackle water scarcity in parallel with those for climate change, biodiversity and desertification. A 2011 meeting of the InterAction Council, the group of former world leaders, deplored that "international water leadership is virtually nonexistent." 

Conflict Prevention 

History is replete with water conflict, from squabbles between neighbouring farms to wars decided by cutting off or poisoning a water supply. 

Deceptive calm on the Nile at Aswan

Fear of water wars pervades the modern era, more so perhaps than is justified by events. The ingredients are certainly there – the mega-dam technology to deny supplies to downstream countries, the location of major rivers in regions already convulsed by water scarcity and military tension. 

The Middle East and North Africa region is the particular focus of concern. The River Jordan supplies water to Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Syria – whose poor inter-relations in any event provoke a high state of military readiness. 

Management of a transboundary river is a zero sum game; if one country gains in distribution rights, another loses. No fewer than nine countries share the resources of the River Nile and they are currently in dispute. The two major users, Egypt and Sudan, are refusing to sign the Entebbe Agreement, a set of new regulations which would reduce their current allocations. 

There is nothing new about such disputes and water conflict resolution mechanisms are commonplace around the world. 

In Southeast Asia, the Mekong River Commission is an inter-governmental agency formed by the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to further their interests of shared water resources of the Mekong River. The Commission maintains dialogue with China whose 21 dams on the upper Mekong are the cause of considerable anxiety.