As hot weather peaks this month in southern Vietnam, authorities in the Mekong Delta region are stepping up efforts to cope with forest fires and salinisation as a response to climate change. (Photo: dmhcc.gov.vn) HoChi Minh City (VNA) - Experts and representatives from the Governmentand international organisations met on April 6 in HCM City to discuss thefeasibility of a sea dyke project which they hope could help the Mekong Deltacope with the effects of climate change.
Speaking at the workshop, Nguyen Duy Tuan, Directorof the Institute of Geology, Water and Environment, said that responding toclimate change, especially in the Mekong Delta, was a top national priority.
“It’s vital to seek solutions and invest in newstructures to prevent tides and saline intrusion. We also need to store freshwater and respond to rising sea levels in the Mekong Delta, as well as copewith flooding in HCM City,” he said.
The Vung Tau-Go Cong sea dyke project, which wasproposed in 2011 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, would includea 28km-long main dyke extending from Go Cong Commune (Tien Giang province) to apoint 5 km from Vung Tau City (Ba Ria-Vung Tau province), where it wouldconnect with another dyke 13km long running to Can Gio Biosphere Reserve in HoChi Minh City.
Theproject would also include construction of the Long Tau sluice, and canalsnorth of the Soai Rap River.
According to Tuan, scientists have completed apre-feasibility study for the project, which has met the requirements of HCMCity and Mekong Delta provinces.
To set up a scientific basis for the constructionof the Vung Tau - Go Cong sea dyke, the Ministry of Science and Technology haslaunched six independent scientific research projects at the state level.
Prof. Dr. Dao Xuan Hoc, Chairman of the VietnamIrrigation Association, said the sea dyke project would offer a solution toflooding caused by a combination of heavy rains and tides. It would alsoaddress salinity intrusion and rising sea levels for 1.1 million hectares.
“It is recommended that the project be implementedin three phases with a total investment of 74 trillion VND (3.24 billion USD),”he said.
Dr. Le Xuan Tuan of Hanoi University of NaturalResources and Environment said it was important to continue to assess floods,tides and mangrove forests and other natural phenomena west of Long Tau Riverand east of Soai Rap River.
He explained that the assessment would serve as abasis for a more detailed assessment of the impact of the Vung Tau – Go Congsea dyke construction on the area’s ecosystem, especially on mangroves andbenthic animals.
Experts at the workshop also discussed thepossible impact of the project on social and economic development oflocalities, as well as the development of waterway transport in the region.
The workshop was organised by the Institute ofGeology, Water and Environment, Vietnam Irrigation Association, VietnamHydrological Association and the Hoang Gia Water and Environment Joint Stock Company.-VNA
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