The southernmost province of Ca Mau , which is only one metrehigher than sea level, could disappear in the next several decades dueto land sinking unless groundwater exploitation stops.
Thisis the warning by experts from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute(NGI) at a workshop in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on June 17.
Jointly organised by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development (MARD) and the NGI, the event reviewed the firstphase of a research project on land subsidence in Ca Mau province, whichhas been conducted since May, 2012 by NGI at the request of MARD andNorway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
NGI experts said asthe land surface in Ca Mau is only one metre higher than sea level, landsinking could be considered the cause of land erosion along thecoastline, damage to mangrove forests and saltwater intrusion.
They said analysis of satellite data showed the coastline in Ca Mau hasreceded by between 100 metres to 1,400 metres over the last twentyyears, while the land has sunken by 30 to 70cm in some places. Theyemphasised that the most practical way to stop this is to put an end toor limit the pumping of groundwater in the province.
PhD TranTan Van, Director of Geological Science and Mineral Institute said thesubsidence speed in Ca Mau was about 1.56-2.30 cm per year, but thespeed is much higher in urban areas where there is a large number waterpumping stations. According to Van, there are more than 100,000 suchstations in Ca Mau, extracting about 370,000 cu.m of water each day.
The Norwegian experts suggested the Vietnamese Government shouldbe informed about the threat of subsidence facing Ca Mau and otherprovinces in the Mekong Delta region, so that it can take action toreduce damaging effects before it is too late.
The institutealso called on the province to build dykes along the coastal areas inorder to prevent soil depression, salt infiltration and soil erodent inthe locality.
In the project’s second phase, NGI will draw ageological map of Ca Mau province, monitor the land subsidence situationand collect and analyse data on the sea level.-VNA
Thisis the warning by experts from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute(NGI) at a workshop in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on June 17.
Jointly organised by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development (MARD) and the NGI, the event reviewed the firstphase of a research project on land subsidence in Ca Mau province, whichhas been conducted since May, 2012 by NGI at the request of MARD andNorway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
NGI experts said asthe land surface in Ca Mau is only one metre higher than sea level, landsinking could be considered the cause of land erosion along thecoastline, damage to mangrove forests and saltwater intrusion.
They said analysis of satellite data showed the coastline in Ca Mau hasreceded by between 100 metres to 1,400 metres over the last twentyyears, while the land has sunken by 30 to 70cm in some places. Theyemphasised that the most practical way to stop this is to put an end toor limit the pumping of groundwater in the province.
PhD TranTan Van, Director of Geological Science and Mineral Institute said thesubsidence speed in Ca Mau was about 1.56-2.30 cm per year, but thespeed is much higher in urban areas where there is a large number waterpumping stations. According to Van, there are more than 100,000 suchstations in Ca Mau, extracting about 370,000 cu.m of water each day.
The Norwegian experts suggested the Vietnamese Government shouldbe informed about the threat of subsidence facing Ca Mau and otherprovinces in the Mekong Delta region, so that it can take action toreduce damaging effects before it is too late.
The institutealso called on the province to build dykes along the coastal areas inorder to prevent soil depression, salt infiltration and soil erodent inthe locality.
In the project’s second phase, NGI will draw ageological map of Ca Mau province, monitor the land subsidence situationand collect and analyse data on the sea level.-VNA
