State of water environmental issues
Water Resources Scorecard
This scorecard attempts to evaluate the water resources availability in Viet Nam for the 8 regions, and highlight issues requiring attention.
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.
| Water Resource 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 |
|
| Sources: VEPA website, Environmental Water Report, 2003 |
| Water Quality |
| Region |
Rivers |
Ground water |
Coastal Waters |
Issues |
| Upstream |
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 |
|
| Sources: VEPA website, Environmental Water Report, 2003 |
Biodiversity Issues
This table highlights issues related to biodiversity requiring attention in Viet Nam for the 8 regions. |
| Region |
Freshwater |
Marine |
Ecosystems |
| Northwest Region |
Extinction of fish species in rivers. |
Not applicable. |
Effects of dam construction on natural function of river ecosystems. |
| Northeast Region |
Fish overexploitation in Ba Be Lake.
Disappearance of river fish species. |
Halong Bay as a world heritage site. |
Vulnerable wetlands, coral reefs and seagrass beds. |
| Red River Delta |
Decline in river fish species composition. |
Ramsar site at Xuan Thuy Mangroves missing to sustain marine biodiversity. |
Vulnerable wetlands and remaining natural mangroves. |
| North Central Coast |
Protected wetlands. |
Degradation of marine areas and biodiversity. |
Vulnerable seagrass beds. |
| South Central Coast |
Decline in river fish species composition. |
Degradation of marine areas and biodiversity. |
Vulnerable wetlands, coastal lagoons, corals reefs, seagrass beds. |
| Central Highlands |
Decline in river fish species composition. |
Not applicable. |
Effects of dam construction on natural function of river ecosystems. |
|
| Sources: VEPA website, Environmental Water Report, 2003 |
|
