Hydrology and Hydraulic Infrastructure Systems in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Abstract

The Mekong Delta with more than 700 km of coastline and countless estuaries connected to the East Sea (South China Sea) is known to be the breadbasket of Vietnam. This role has been promoted by the massive expansion of irrigated rice fields that rapidly increased the country’s food production over the last decades. Floods during the rainy season are playing an important role in the agricultural system of the Delta but are also causing serious problems like yield losses, river bank erosion, destruction of infrastructure and the casualties. During the dry season, however, under the influence of tides, salinization and the lack of fresh water in coastal areas are the problems to be addressed. Moreover, tides are causing sedimentation in estuaries and canals which impedes the flow and increases the risk of flooding. Most recently and in the near future upstream water usage by neighboring countries, hydropower dams in the upper reaches and a higher frequency of extreme weather events due to the changing climate will have a major impact on the flow regime in the Mekong Delta. Recent studies by the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research are addressing these issues and attempt to provide solutions to promote the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta.