vietnam water resources

Vietnamese German University

WATER RESOURCES IN VIETNAMHo Chi Minh City, October 04, 2011

▌Natural water resoures in Vietnam

OUTLINE

1. Vietnam Overview2. Natural Water Resources

Surface Water Ground Water Water Availability & Quality

3. Water Resources Usage 4. Natural Water Resources – Major Issues5. References


VIETNAM OVERVIEW Area : 331,690 km2

Population (2011) : 87,375,000 – the 13th most populous country

Coastline: 3,444 km (excluding islands)

Land boundaries: 4,639 km Laos 2,130 km China 1,281 km Cambodia 1,228 km

Climate: tropical monsoon Rainfall:

- Annual average rainfall 2,050 mm

(highest 2,640mm and lowest 1,600mm)

- 90% in summer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laos

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia


SURFACE WATER – OVERVIEW

River run-off per Region (bill.m³/year)

Source: National Water Sector profile, 2002

The total average annual surface water discharge is about 830 bill.m3 per year;

More than 60% of Vietnam’s surface water generated outside the country;

Only 309 bill.m³ per year generated within Vietnam;

Source:www.ask.com/wiki/Regions_of_Vietnam


SURFACE WATER – OVERVIEW Uneven distribution, not only spatially, but over the year Low water availability per capita in Southeast Asia:

4,170m³/person (4,900 m³/person in Southeast Asia and 3,300m³/person in Asia);

Irrigation

Aquaculture

Industry

Urban

Surface water usage by sector

5% 3%

11%

81%


SURFACE WATER - RIVER Dense river network with 2,360 rivers

more than 10 km length; Red River: The largest river in

Vietnam Mekong River: The longest river

in Southeast Asia

Red River Basin

Source: www.wikipedia.org

Mekong River

Source: www.chinapage.com/river/river.html

http://www.chinapage.com/river/river.html


SURFACE WATER - RIVER

NO. River Total volume (km³) Percentage (%)

1 Me Kong 500 59

2 Red 126,5 14,9

3 Dong Nai 36,3 4,3

4 Ma, Ca and Thu Bon 20 (for each river) 2,3 – 2,6

5 Ky Cung, Thai Binh and Ba

9 (for each river) 1

6 Others 94,5 11,1

Water resources from river (per year)

(Source: Department of Water Resources Management)

13 major river systems with the area over 10,000km² 2% of the total river flow in the world Providing an abundant supply of water – 255 bill.m³ annually; low utilization of

only 53bill.m³ per year;

NO. River Total volume (km³) Percentage (%)

1 Me Kong 500 59

2 Red 126,5 14,9

3 Dong Nai 36,3 4,3

4 Ma, Ca and Thu Bon 20 (for each river) 2,3 – 2,6

5 Ky Cung, Thai Binh and Ba

9 (for each river) 1

6 Others 94,5 11,1


SURFACE WATER – LAKE, LAGOON Having 460 lakes with large

and small size; Having several major natural

lakes;

Ba Be lake- Ba Be National Park (Bac Kan Province) The largest natural lake Surface area : 4.5km² Water volume : 90 million

m³

Cau Hai Lagoon:• Area: 52 km²;• Length: 24km;Source: Internet


SURFACE WATER – RESERVOIRS

Having about 3,600 reservoirs and dams with various sizes; The total reservoir active storage volume is about 37,000 million

m3 (about 4.5% of the total average annual surface water discharge)

Most are more than 20-30 years old; Purposes:

Hydropower Flood control Agriculture irrigation Water supply River flowa management

Hoa Binh Reservoir


SURFACE WATER – RAIN WATER Annual average rainfall 2,050 mm - 90% in summer (from July to

September) which is the abundant supply source of fresh water added to rivers

and groundwater. Some areas with less water accessibility, rainwater is the main

water supply: Arid area, Saline water, Polluted groundwater (Arsenic pollution)

Storing rainwater in Vietnamese rural areas


GROUND WATER

Exploitable Ground Water (bill.m³/year)

Source: National Water Sector profile, 2002

The total potential exploitable reserves of the country's aquifers estimated at nearly 60 bill. m³ per year


GROUNDWATER (cont.) Having abundance of groundwater reserves; Less than 5% of the total reserves are exploited, for the country

as a whole; The abstraction of groundwater also varies in different regions; Providing 35 – 50% of total water supply for urban; The groundwater is generally of good quality, suitable for

drinking with little or no treatment;

Although less than 5% of the total ground water reserves are extracted, in some areas is causing problems of falling water tables, land subsidence and salinity intrusion.

Source: ADB Water Sector Report


GROUNDWATER (cont.) RURAL AREA:

Well in rural areas

Handle Pumping well The commune well

Multi purposes: Washing Drinking Cooking


GROUNDWATER (cont.)

The number of small wells of Vietam


No. ProvincesSmall diameter size

Small well Volume (m3 /per day)

1Northern mountainous regions

8,080 45,331

2 Red River Delta 551,157 1,634,399

3 North Central Coast 21,125 61,100

4 Central Highlands 2,592 9,003

5 Central Coast 60,835 245,609

6 Northeast of Mekong 136,363 1,308,941

7 Mekong River Delta 62,798 302,164

TOTAL 842,950 3,606,547


WATER RESOURCES AVAILABILITY

Region Surface Water

Ground

Water Issues

Northwest Region

+++++ +++ Flashfloods, floods, seasonal drought Reservoir siltation and construction

Northeast Region

++++ +++ Flashfloods, floods, seasonal drought

Red River Delta +++++ +++++ Floods, Cross-sectoral water allocation and use Intensive agriculture, groundwater over-exploitation

North Central Coast

+++ +++ Flashfloods, floods, Seasonal Droughts Low river flow during prolonged dry season in South of region

South Central Coast

++ +++ Flashfloods, floods, Severe Seasonal Droughts Low river flow during prolonged dry season entire region

Central Highlands

++++ ++++ Flashfloods, Seasonal droughts Groundwater over-exploitation for irrigation, Reservoir construction

Northeast of Mekong

++++ +++++ Floods, Seasonal drought. Sector wise water allocation and use, Groundwater over-exploitation (HCMC)

Mekong River Delta

+++++ +++++ Flood, cross-sectoral water allocation and use Intensive agriculture/aquaculture, groundwater over-exploitation

Source: http://www.wepa-db.net/

(A high score (+++++) means water is abundant or good quality, a low score (+) they are scarce or the water quality is unacceptable and out of range of standards.)

http://www.wepa-db.net/



WATER QUALITY – OVERVIEW SURFACE WATER:

The upstream water quality remains good;

The downstream pollution mainly from urban areas and industries;

Most lakes and canals in urban areas are fast becoming sewage sinks;

Evidence of pollution from: Mainly from industrial

waste water Untreated municipality

water; Garbage dumping;

Exploitation of mineral along river

Source: Vietnam State of Environment 2010

Discharged directly into river basin



WATER QUALITY – OVERVIEW GROUND WATER:

The quality of ground water remains good;

There are some pockets of contamination;

Having some salinity intrusion; Evidence of pollution from:

Poorly maintained septic tanks;

Garbage dumping; Industrial effluent; Over-exploitation;

To unclog the flow


Garbage dumping


WATER QUALITY – BY REGIONS

Region

Rivers

Ground Waters

Coastal

Waters

IssuesUp-stream

Down-stream

Northwest Region ++++

+++++ +++++ – –

Northeast Region ++++

+++ ++++ +++

Urban pollution, Saline intrusion, Marine transport pollution risks.

Red River Delta ++++ ++ +++ +++ Urban and Industrial pollution, Saline Intrusion Agrochemical pollution, transport pollution risks

North Central Coast

++++ +++ +++ ++++ Urban pollution, Saline intrusion

South Central Coast

+++++

++ ++++ ++++ Urban pollution, Saline intrusion

Central Highlands ++++

+++++ +++++ – –

Northeast of Mekong

++++ + +++ ++ Urban and industrial pollution, Saline intrusion

Mekong River Delta ++++ ++ +++ +++Saline intrusion, Low pH in rivers (Acid soils) Agrochemical pollution, transport pollution risks

Water quality deterioration is probably the greatest environmental issue facing Vietnam;

Source: http://www.wepa-db.net/



WATER RESOURCES USAGE

Distribution of Water Usage by SectorSource: State of Environment 2010

DomesticIrrigationFisheriesServicesIndustry


In Vietnam, 70% of water for daily life comes from surface water and 30% from ground water.


WATER RESOURCES USAGE

Urban Water Requirement to 2020


MAJOR ISSUES - OVERVIEW

Population increase; Rapid urbanization and industrialization; Climate change; Monitoring the resource & extractions Sustainable levels of extraction Impacts assessment of projects (eg. hydro power projects) State water management capacity; Inadequate physical infrastructure; Budget for water resources development and management is limited


MAJOR ISSUES (cont.) SURFACE WATER:

To be susceptible to water resource decisions made in upstream countries;

Dams built at the upstream problems;

Climate change (natural disaster risks of floods, typhoons, coastal attack and drought)

Drought in dry season; Flood in rainy season;

GROUND WATER: Lacking ground water protection

plans; Lacking ground water drilled

plans; Over-extraction; Due to polluted surface water;

Dams on the Mekong River


REFERENCES

Vietnam State of Water Environment Issues, Water Environment Partnership in Asia, http://www.wepa-db.net/

Vietnam State of Environment 2010

ADB Water Sector Review – Sector Status Report, 2008


Vietnamese German University

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vietnam water resources

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