The Yali Falls Dam is the second largest dam in Vietnam, located in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces on the Krong Poko ("the father river" in Mnong language), a tributary of the Sesan River, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, about 70 km upstream of the Cambodian border.

Name

Yali Falls Dams was originated from the Yă-Léa Waterfall, which means "the stream of Lady Léa". It has been from a sad love legend of Léa the Longhair and brothers Srèk-Srơk. They turned into two towering mountains on the sides of the waterfall to forever protect the maiden.

History

The 69 m-high dam was begun in 1993 and sealed in 1996, with the 64.5 km2 reservoir filled by 1998. It aims to generate 720 MW of hydropower. Like many large dam projects, it has been highly criticised, for causing flooding, damaging fisheries and for the lack of consultation with Cambodian authorities. Amongst those opposing the dam are the Sesan-Srepok-Sesong Protection Network (3SPN), organising 59 villages in northeast Cambodia to promote the environment in the three river basins and supported by Oxfam.