On 18th December, WWF announced the results of the strengthening capacity project of social organizations for water resource management in the Mekong River Delta that have been implemented by this agency, the Vietnam Rivers Network (VNR) and People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) for two years.
According to the research team, the upstream area has been being impacted by hydroelectric dams causing the alluvium and sediment run down Mekong River Delta decreased. Therefore, the hydrological regime of the downstream area completely changed. This impact reduces adaptation of the whole region with climate change.
The result of WWF’s studies from 2013 to 2015 that analyzed more than 2.000 satellite images show that 48% of the coastal area have been retreating, and only 22% of area have been encroaching on the sea in the East Sea region (Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces).
Previously at the West Sea region (Ca Mau peninsula), the process of encroaching on the sea was strong, but now 70% of the area has retreated.
“The whole Mekong River Delta is depressing at a rate of 0.5 – 2.5 cm per year, the areas depress most and fastly are Ho Chi Minh City, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang and Tra Vinh”, the report mentioned.
In addition, water pollution due to agriculture, fisheries and industrial zone and riverside urban areas development was placed on the alert. Every year, 2 million tons of chemical fertilizers, nearly 500.000 tons of pesticides that cause environmental incidents in the water are used.
Aquatic farming models with large scale discharged the large amount of waste into Tien river and Hau river, making the water environment is more and more harmful and epidemic diseases development.
The waste water of 12.700 operating enterprises has not been thoroughly treated but it was also discharged into rivers, canals causing the surface water quality reduced, epidemic diseases for aquaculture and bad effects to people’s health.
The research team gave 5 recommendations. One of them is the operation maintenance of the water resource management network in the Mekong River Delta with key members of the provinces through the MekongNet in Can Tho and the river network in Hanoi.
Expanding members who are individuals, local community groups, social organizations, non-governmental organizations to enhance information sharing, replication initiatives and successful models in water resource management and livelihood development.
Sources:
VOV News (vov.vn)
Vietnam News Agency.
Editor: AnhNTL – VidaGIS Company
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