The Great Lake of Cambodia

Reflection of living, originally uploaded by siggito.

High in the Chinese Himalayas the Mekong River begins its long journey to the sea. Parts of the river are strongly affected by the tropical climates of Southeast Asia. Melting snow combined with monsoons bring the river and its tributaries far beyond their dry season banks.

In Cambodia this torrential rain reverses the Mekong's flow. The water fills in the Tonlé Sap, or "Great Lake." During the dry season the small, marshy basin is at most around 3 feet deep. At the peak of the wet season the lake grows to six times its surface area and over sixty feet deep.

Less ingenious people might think of this region as uninhabitable. Cambodians, however, have built homes, businesses, churches and whole towns in the Tonlé Sap area. The house pictured above is designed to float with the rising waters. Other buildings are built on tall stilts (some over 30 feet tall).

Furthermore, the Tonlé Sap is a critical part of the region's economy. The lake/river water is ideal for fish breeding. Cambodians harvest shrimp, riel, and many other kinds of seafood from the pulsing lake.