SUMMARY

Sustainable exploitation of the Middle-Pliocene aquifer in the Mêkong Delta
Nguyễn Đình Tứ

The paper presented the characteristics of the Mid-Pliocene aquifer (n₂²) in Mêkong Delta with the updated data, including the distribution of salty and fresh areas, the thickness, the depth of roof, the depth of bottom, the water pressure levels, and the status of exploitation. The numerical groundwater model with the updated data was developed to calculate total potential capacity exploitation of fresh water, safety capacity, and capacity that could exploit safety. These calculations were implimented for each province in the Mekong Delta. The calculated results indicated that the total of potential exploitation reserves of groundwater (fresh water) of the Pliocen aquifer is 4.398.655 m³/day, safty exploitation reserves is 879.731 m³/day and the left reserves can be safely exploited is 402.372 m³/day. Moreover, the results can be used for management, sustainable exploitation of underground water resources in the study area, where is considered to be severely affected by climate change.

Keywords: Mid-Pliocene aquifer, Mêkong Delta, potential exploitation reserves, safety exploitation reserves.