Tonlé Sap River
Tonlé Sap is a river in Cambodia that connects the Tonlé Sap lake with the Mekong river. The river is known for its unusual seasonal reversal, which plays a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, sustaining local livelihoods, enhancing agricultural productivity, and contributing to the ecological, economic, and cultural vitality of the region.
Etymology
In Khmer, Tonlé/ទន្លេ means "river" and Sap/សាប means "fresh water". Therefore, Tonlé Sap is the name of the river while the lake is called "Boeng Tonlé Sap".Geography
From the lake, the Tonlé Sap flows southeast to its confluence with the Mekong river near Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. During the dry season, the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers merge, but in the monsoon season, the Mekong's floods cause the Tonlé Sap river to reverse its flow. The reversal carries water, along with fish eggs and larvae, into the Tonle Sap Lake, where they find a nutrient-rich environment that supports their feeding and growth.The confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac rivers, known as Chaktomuk, holds significant ecological and economic importance for Cambodia. It is a crucial source of drinking water for around 1.5 million residents of Phnom Penh, as well as supplying water for various industrial and commercial activities. Chaktomuk also receives both treated and untreated wastewater. As a key transportation hub in the region, it accommodates a wide range of vessels, including large sea-going cargo ships, high-speed passenger boats, and small fishing boats, all of which can dock and unload goods, materials, people, and food at the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port. This port, located along the Tonlé Sap river approximately 3-4 km upstream from the confluence, is an international facility managed by the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.