Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, AS8, Level 7, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260, Singapore; Fenner School of Environment and Society, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Research Centre for Rural Development, An Giang University, VNU-HCM, 18 Ung Van Khiem, Long Xuyen City, An Giang, Viet Nam.
Pillar of Engineering Systems and Design, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Tampines, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
Sci Total Environ. 2021 May 20;770:145125. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145125. Epub 2021 Jan 27.
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.
沿海低地对于为数众多的人口提供食物、住所和生计尤为重要；然而，人类活动和气候变化造成的恶化影响使这些地区面临多重挑战。越南湄公河三角洲位于湄公河下游流域的最南端，受到上游水电开发、局部水利工程系统（堤坝）、气候因素和海平面上升的不利影响。本文探讨了这些驱动因素如何塑造沿海地区农村社区的适应策略。本研究使用了多种历史测量数据、数值模型和在三个沿海省份（槟椥、茶荣和朔庄）收集的定性数据，结果发现，水文变化受到多种驱动因素的影响，其中潮汐系统和东海海平面上升的影响更为直接。研究结果表明，尽管三角洲规模的措施不能充分解决这些影响，但已采取了包括控制和适应措施在内的混合政策方法来应对当地的海水入侵问题。本文全面深入地了解了影响沿海农业生态系统和资源依赖型社区的水文变化的复杂时空间维度。本文认为，虽然表达对跨界水电影响的关切至关重要，但受盐度影响的司法管辖区之间的现场合作对于应对未来海水入侵的高度不确定性和复杂性也同样重要。
