Mekong Delta braces for saltwater intrusion up rivers as dry season begins
HO CHI MINH – Authorities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta are taking proactive measures to prevent saltwater intrusion up rivers during the upcoming dry season that will last until April.
The delta, Việt Nam’s largest producer of rice, fruits and seafood, typically experiences saltwater intrusion from the sea through river mouths during the dry season from December to April.
This year it is forecast to exceed normal levels, according to the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research.
In coastal areas, seawater with a salinity level of four grammes per litre has penetrated deep into major rivers, surpassing the tolerance level of most crops, which is less than one gramme.
In Kiên Giang Province, salinity levels of four grammes have been detected 18-20 kilometres upstream in the Cái Lớn River, a major waterway in Gò Quao District, according to the province’s Centre for Hydro-Meteorology Forecasting.
Viet Nam News
