Assessing the impacts of hydropower development requires detailed information on the physical and operating characteristics of each project. This makes it possible to forecast changes in flow regimes affecting water quality, movement of fish and sediment, and the distribution of the benefits and impacts of dams.

A hydropower database has been prepared to pool this information and is currently gathering information on more than 130 hydropower projects in Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. It includes existing plants, projects under construction, and those in varying stages of development or planning.