TY - JOUR
T1 - Moving towards sustainable coastal adaptation
T2 - Analysis of hydrological drivers of saltwater intrusion in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta
AU - Tran, Thong Anh
AU - Dang, Thanh Duc
AU - Nguyen, Tri Huu
AU - Pham, Van Huynh Thanh
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2021/5/20
Y1 - 2021/5/20
N2 - Coastal lowlands are of particular importance in providing food, shelter, and livelihoods for large populations; yet aggravating effects caused by human activities and climate change have exposed these areas to multiple challenges. Located in the southernmost part of the Lower Mekong Basin, the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is adversely affected by upstream hydropower development, localised water-engineering systems (dykes), climatic factors, and sea level rise. This paper examines how these drivers shape the adaptation strategies of rural communities in the coastal areas. Using mixed sources of historical measured data, numerical modelling and qualitative data gathered in three coastal provinces (Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, and Soc Trang), we find that hydrological alterations are manipulated by various drivers with more immediate effects of the tidal systems and sea level rise in the Vietnamese East Sea. The study results suggest that while these impacts are not adequately addressed by delta-scale measures, a mixed policy approach including control and adaptation measures has been adopted to tackle saltwater intrusion on the local scale. The paper provides a holistic insight into the complex temporal-spatial dimensions of hydrological change which have distressed coastal agroecosystems and resource-dependent communities. The paper argues that while voicing concerns over transboundary hydropower impacts is essential, in situ collaborative efforts among salinity-affected jurisdictions are equally important in addressing high uncertainty and complexity of saltwater intrusion in the future.
AB - Coastal lowlands are of particular importance in providing food, shelter, and livelihoods for large populations; yet aggravating effects caused by human activities and climate change have exposed these areas to multiple challenges. Located in the southernmost part of the Lower Mekong Basin, the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is adversely affected by upstream hydropower development, localised water-engineering systems (dykes), climatic factors, and sea level rise. This paper examines how these drivers shape the adaptation strategies of rural communities in the coastal areas. Using mixed sources of historical measured data, numerical modelling and qualitative data gathered in three coastal provinces (Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, and Soc Trang), we find that hydrological alterations are manipulated by various drivers with more immediate effects of the tidal systems and sea level rise in the Vietnamese East Sea. The study results suggest that while these impacts are not adequately addressed by delta-scale measures, a mixed policy approach including control and adaptation measures has been adopted to tackle saltwater intrusion on the local scale. The paper provides a holistic insight into the complex temporal-spatial dimensions of hydrological change which have distressed coastal agroecosystems and resource-dependent communities. The paper argues that while voicing concerns over transboundary hydropower impacts is essential, in situ collaborative efforts among salinity-affected jurisdictions are equally important in addressing high uncertainty and complexity of saltwater intrusion in the future.
KW - Adaptation
KW - Hydropower dams
KW - Saltwater intrusion
KW - Sea level rise
KW - Transboundary impacts
KW - Vietnamese Mekong Delta
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100110249&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145125
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145125
M3 - Article
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 770
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
M1 - 145125
ER -