Major Threats to Mekong Delta: Climate Change and Mainstream Dams

The Mekong Delta, one of Asia’s greatest deltas, is confronting multiple threats from various sources, inland, and at sea. They include climate change, extreme weather events, sea level rise, saline intrusion, and mainstream dams construction upstream affecting fresh water flows downstream. These man-made activities and natural disasters have the potential to destroy the ecosystem, economy, and people’s business, and way of life in the Mekong Delta region for the foreseeable future. Climate change has the strongest impact in the rural areas and the agricultural sector of the economy and the Mekong Delta is a most vulnerable target. In addition to coping with an erratic and confusing weather pattern, farmers and fishermen faced with the threat of the planning, preparation, and construction of a cascade of 26 mainstream dams. In addition to diverting water, the dams will reduce the flow of alluvial sediment that is a nutrient for rice cultivation, adversely affect fish migration, and alter flood patterns. In the aftermath of the 2000 flood and the 2010 drought that were extremely severe, this largest and poorest social group in the Mekong Delta suffered tragic losses of human lives, houses, fresh water, agricultural crops, and fisheries. This chapter examines the impact of climate change and the mainstream dams on the Mekong Delta fresh water resources and food security. Rice culture and aquaculture depend on climate conditions and water availability and quality. Finding comprehensive and integrated solutions to the critical issues of sustainable water resources management and economic development are challenges facing not only the Mekong Delta provinces and the central government but also the riparian peoples and states that share the Mekong River.