Fluctuations in agriculture and sediment in the Mekong delta of Vietnam due to increased upstream water use

Authors

  • Viet Hung Bui* Faculty of Environment, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh city
  • Ngoc Diep Nguyen Faculty of Economic Institution, University of Labor and Social Affairs, Ho Chi Minh city

Keywords:

hydropower plant, irrigation, lower Mekong basin, transboundary impacts, water resource, water use

Abstract

The Mekong delta (MD) of Vietnam rests at the end of the lower Mekong basin (LMB) where it is met with serious adverse effects from all upstream activities with severe consequences like landslides and complicated subsidence phenomena. Researchers agree that the main reason for these consequences are the lack of sediment deposited in MD due to the absence of floods and upstream hydropower development. To better understand the causes of the above phenomena, research on the transboundary impact between Vietnam and Cambodia in the MD was carried out [1]. This article develops more reliable scientific evidence of the impacts of upstream water use on the economic, social, and environmental factors of its four national members. It also scientifically demonstrates the transboundary impacts of upstream hydropower and irrigation developments in LMB such as the decline of sediment and the extreme decline of the quantity/yield from natural fisheries under all development scenarios.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31276/VJSTE.63(1).77-82

Classification number

5.1

Downloads

Published

2021-03-15

Received 12 August 2020; accepted 3 December 2020

How to Cite

Bui, V. H. ., & Nguyen, N. D. . (2021). Fluctuations in agriculture and sediment in the Mekong delta of Vietnam due to increased upstream water use. Vietnam Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering, 63(1), 77-82. https://doi.org/10.31276/VJSTE.63(1).77-82

Issue

Section

Environmental Sciences