Province Nam Dinh:

I. STUDY AREA, CLIMATE, MORPHOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY

Nam Định Province is situated in the eastern part of the Red river delta. It boarders with Đáy river to Ninh Bình Province in southwest, with Red river to Thái Bình Province in northeast, to Hà Nam province in northwest and in the southeast to the Gulf of Bắc Bộ with a 72 km long coastline. The climate of Nam Định Province is that of semi - humid tropics [25] characterized by rainy season (May - October) and dry season (November - April). During the rainy season appear 85-90% of the 1,400 - 1,750 mm annual rainfall. During the dry season appear only 150 - 300 mm of rainfall. The monthly average of temperatures varies between 16 and 29°C, with coldest temperature during January. The moisture is about 80%, the daily sun shine amounts to 3 - 8 h, especially during the winter the sky is cloudy.

The river and estuary system of the Red river and its tributaries (Đào, Ninh Cơ, Đáy rivers) control e.g. morphology and hydrology of the Nam Định Province. Along the coastline the four estuaries Ba Lạt, Lạch Giang, Đáy and Ha Lan are built up by Red, Ninh Cơ, Đáy and So rivers, respectively. Two large wetlands built up by Red and Đáy rivers are situated in Giao Thủy District (12,000 ha) and Nghĩa Hưng District (8,000 ha). These wetlands are important for whole North Việt Nam as a typical coastal ecosystem, partly protected by RAMSAR (Ba Lạt mouth, Giao Thủy District). The Nam Định Province is covered by a dense network of irrigation channels. In total 3% of the province area are covered by rivers and channels [6]. The elevation of the land surface is rather equally low at 0.2 to 3 m a.s.l. with some exeptations in the northwest (7-100 m a.s.l.). The province area is underlying long term changes by sum effects of land win at Red and Đáy river mouths and land loss by coast erosion. Inside the catchment area of the Red river are situated two of the largest reservoirs and water power plants in Việt Nam (Hòa Bình reservoir 9,500 Mio m³ fed by Đà river, Thác Bà reservoir 2,940 Mio m³ fed by Chảy river). Besides energy production the reservoirs play an important role in flood, salinity control and irrigation management. Besides the large ones nine other, far smaller water power plants are situated inside the catchment area (NWRC, 2004). The dams have a regulating influence on the water levels in Nam Định Province. With the distance to the dams the control decreases. Also the reduction of sediments is going along with nutrient reduction. The province has an area of 164,130 ha and a population of 1.93 Mio (2003), the resulting population density is 1,160 heads/km². In order to form larger administrative units during the war Nam Định Province became part of the Nam Hà Province. About 10 years ago Nam Hà Province was split up and province status was returned to Nam Định. The administrative unit is divided into 9 districts that are subdivided into 9 townlets and 226 communes. Province capital is Nam Định City, situated at the Đào river. Until 2020 Nam Định City shall be developed as administrative centre of the southern Red river delta. Nam Định City has a population of 233.000. The majority of people in the province is living in rural areas (82%), urban areas show high population densities (Nam Định City: 5,160 heads/km² - inner city centre > 20.000 heads/km²). By 2003, a total of 14 settlements has more than 5,000 inhabitants each, until 2010 population there shall increase by 33%. The total population growth rate is 0.96%, by 2010 the population is expected to be 2.04 Mio, with 25% living in urban areas [6].

II. WATER RESOURCES AND WATER USE HABITS IN NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

The main source for the water supply of the Nam Định Province is traditional and actually surface water. This is set together mainly by the Red river (3,800 m³/s, 119,837 km³/a), the Đáy river (58,6 m³/s, 1,848 km³/a), in Nam Định City by the Đào river. According to NWRC (2004) the mean annual runoff in the Nam Định Province accounts to 20 - 30 l s^-1 per km², during flood appear maximum values of 50 - 100 l s^-1 per km², but during low water phases minimum runoff with 1 - 2,5 l s^-1 per km² appears. The other source of the surface water is rainfall (annual mean: 1.400-1.700 mm/a; 3x109 m³/a). Because the rainfall appears concentrated during summer months, the water flows during short time into the sea. By this distribution in summer appear floods, but during winter droughts (as in 2002) leading to salinity inflow from seaside [15]. Groundwater resources were found in Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene aquifers. Actually only the Holocene aquifer (Q₂hh) and the Pleistocene aquifer (Q₁^2-3hn) have economic relevance. The Holocene Hải Hưng formation (Q₂^1-2hh) appears as surface sediments and in depth of 2 - 57 m. This sediment of the horizon is often mixed up with clayey layers. The Pleistocene Hà Nội formation (Q₁^2-3hn) appears in the Nam Định Province only below 45 m. East and northeast of the Ninh Bình fracture this horizon appears in depth of 92 - 157 m. In the Hải Hậu and Trực Ninh districts this formation has a thickness of 50 - 55 m. The Pliocene Vĩnh Bảo formation (N₁vb) appears at from 25 (min) to 149 m (max), in the Nam Định Province at 25 m (min) with maximum thickness of 85 m. Extensive usage of Holocene aquifers is found in Ý Yên , Vụ Bản, Giao Thủy Districts, extensive usage of Pleistocene aquifers in Nghĩa Hưng, Hải Hậu districts, extensive usage of surface water in Mỹ Lộc, Nam Định, Nam Trực, Trực Ninh and Xuân Trường districts.

III. SOCIO-ECONOMICS OF NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

Landscape, economy and society in Nam Định Province are characterized by agriculture, dominated by rice production with 2 annual crops (planted area: winter rice 81,300 ha; summer rice 82,800 ha). Other crops with significant planted areas are sweet potatoes (5,600 ha), peanuts (5,200 ha), maize (2,900 ha), soya beans (2,500 ha). Actually 8,000 ha are in use for aquaculture in coastal areas and 13,400 ha inland [6]. In the land use planning for Nam Định Province until 2010, the development of aquaculture in terms of production area (expansion by 6,000-7,000 ha) and production output (aspired GDP: 1,280 US $) plays an important role. Significant for animal farming is pig breeding (675,400 units; 0.35 units/head), also cattle and buffalo breeding [6, 9].

The biggest industrial branch is textile and garment developed since 1889 by French support. The industrial infrastructure covers 9,000 ha (5.5%) of the province area [6, 21]. According to province government 71 villages are specialised on handicraft (e.g. metal working, food processing, salt production). Such production places are most often based on family enterprises distributed all over the village, living and working place are rarely distinguished [7]. Empiric investigations on handicraft villages as e.g. Vân Chàng [19] revealed that the material efforts are high in comparison to whole Việt Nam. But education, environment and health situation are at very low level. The majority of the people claims an improvement of this situation. The mean life expectancy in the investigated villages ranges between 57-61 years (Communal Statistical Yearbooks, 2000; 2001), as the mean life expectancy for Việt Nam is 72 years [19]. The gross national product (GNP) in 2003 was 499 x 10⁶ US $. Its sectorial division (primary sector: 184 x 10⁶ US $, secondary sector: 125 x 10⁶ US $; tertiary sector: 190 x 10⁶ US $) recovers the importance of agriculture and services for the province. Actually the Nam Định Province is undergoing a phase of industrialisation and modernisation with development of new industrial parks. The GNP growth by 2004 was 8.24% with still increasing trend [6, 21,23].

The complicated living standard, low-income situation, fast industrial growth and its negative effect on environment and the most often low quality of the drinking water result in a complex health structure. As in Việt Nam cholera seems to be no problem at all, the Nam Định and Thái Bình provinces are the only ones with more than 2 infections on 100,000 people. The cholera causing agent Vibrio cholerae is spread by water. A lack of adequate access to clean water and a bad sanitation situation cause the disease to spread. Epidemics appear most often during flood events, therefore water supply and sanitation with flood management shall be the means to lower the risk. The bordering Thái Bình province has one of the highest rates of Diarrhoe infections in Việt Nam (4,000-7,110 infection on 100,000 heads). This disease is caused by bad water supply and sanitation. Main water sources are Trà Lý and Red river (NWRC 2004).

IV. DEMAND ON WATER IN NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

The available data on the water demand in the Nam Định Province is quiet confusing. But the total demand on water is about 1.4 x 10⁹ m³/a. According to the dominating primary sector, the biggest amount is demanded by agriculture (1.12 x 10⁹ m³/a). Industry and service demand 240 x 10⁶ m³/a, the demand for domestic uses about 40 x 10⁶ m³/a [15]. The quantity of the water demand can be covered recently and for the future by the available surface and ground water sources [15]. The usage of piped water in Nam Định City in 2003 amounts to 14.2 x 10⁶ m³ [21]. From these values results a daily use of about 160 l by inhabitant in Nam Định City. The demand on water by industrial parks is quiet high (45 m³/ha/d) and is covered mainly by the water supply company in Nam Định City supplying surface water. The groundwater resource for Nam Định City is limited in quantity and quality (salination). In comparison to the demand by agriculture the amount of water ask for domestic, service and industrial use is low. Rice and maize have a large demand on water (2,000 - 5,000 m³/ha). Due to the large production area of rice, it takes about 50% of the water demand of the whole province. From March to May, during the dry season more than 300 x 10⁶ m³ water is demanded by irrigation.

Until 2010 the on head usage of water shall be lowered to 100 l/Đáy (urban) and 80 l/Đáy (rural). But with the growing population the demand on water for domestic use will rise to more than 60 mio. m³. For the existing and planned industrial areas the annual water demand in 2010 will be about 20 mio. m³ and expected demand for 2020 is at least 100,000 m³/d (35 Mio. m³/a) [23] . The industry is expected to grow annually by 25 % [6]. If the given present demand of 240 x 10⁶ Mio. m³ is correct, in 2010 the demand on water will be equal with the demand by agriculture. At least the growing industry puts rising force for supply with high quality water for economic prices as well as sanitation of industrial sewage. In Table 1 the water demand in economic field till 2010 are given.

V. STATE OF WATER USE INFRASTRUCTURE IN NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

The irrigation network of the Nam Định Province covers an area of 12,000-13,000 ha. This dense network is an important infrastructure for the agricultural development [6]. In Nam Định Province 89% of the population has access to fresh water, but only 38% have access to drinking water supply [17]. All together 10 waterworks are engaged in the province. According to officials of Nam Định City, 85 % of the urban population are supplied with fresh water [23]. In Nam Định Province five means of water supply are typical [6]:

(1) Digged wells have a diameter of 0.8-1.3 m and typical a depth of 5-10 m. This kind of well is traditionally in usage for the domestic water supply in rural areas. The base of the well is protected against the ground. Because of the low water quality in the aquifers close to the surface (salination, iron, ammonium) this water is most often only used for washing and cooking.

(2) Rainwater storage tanks are often used where fresh water is limited (e.g. in Mỹ Lộc and Vụ Bản districts). These storage tanks are installed of rooftops and have a volume of about 10 m³. During monsoon this water is used for drinking, washing and bathing purposes. To the end of the rainy season it is saved for drinking and cooking purposes.

(3) “UNICEF-drills” have a diameter of 48 - 150 mm. With investment costs of 1.7 - 2 Mio. VND (~ 100 €) Pleistocene aquifers in depths of 60 - 90 m are exploited. The used material for the pipes is PVC. The drill is completed with standardized hand pumps or electrical pumps at the surface (details in NUBER et al., 2005).

(4) Small Piped Systems are small “low cost” water networks (<< 3.000 m³/d), that have in optimal cases a simple gravel filter. Such networks are installed for example in Vân Chàng (surface water, Đào river) and in Xuân Tiến (groundwater).

(5) Centrally run water supply (including simple pre-treatment) is engaged in Nam Định City (on the northern side of Đào river only) and in a few townlets in the province.

According to the mentioned water usage distribution more than 50% of the population in Nam Định Province are dependent from surface water. This source is supplied by several facilities. These have a capacity of 67,800 m³/d, with the most modern facility pumping 50,000 m³/d (centrally run water supply for Nam Định City). The left amount is supported by „small pipe systems“ with a capacity of 3,000 m³/d. The reliability of these most often out of fashion facilities is seriously lowered by water losses (40-45%) [23]. With the support of UN institutions in 1998 such a „small pipe system“ was installed in Xuân Tiến by the French ASAT group. The necessary water is pumped from the pleistocene aquifer in 150 m depth. After treatment in a gravel field filter the water is supplied to 650 households. But because the water is saline, the inhabitants try to return to surface water usage from Ninh Cơ river (notice from the chief of waterworks).

In Nam Định City are working three water supply facilities with a total capacity of 21,17x10⁶ m³/a. The water is taken from the Đào river. The facilities have been installed in 1925, 1987 and 1999. The mentioned latest facility (50,000 m³/d) is the result of an ODA project with France. The water intake at the Đào river is located close to the northern main sewage inlet of Nam Định City and the water is transported to the water work, situated some kilometres away in the city centre. There are used flocculation and sedimentation as typical treatment methods. Afterwards the Al-bearing floccules are pumped back into the Đào river (Tab. 2).

All over the Red river delta the pleistocene aquifer is used primarily for groundwater exploitation. Actually the towns Hà Nội, Hải Dương, Hưng Yên, Vĩnh Yên and Phúc Yên as also Kiến An (Hải Phòng), the districts Hải Hậu and Nghĩa Hưng (Nam Định Province) together use more than 1,000,000 m³/Đáy [26]. The daily available resources of the Holocene, Pleistocene and Pliocene aquifers amount to 485,000 m³, 205,000 m³ and 335,000 m³, respectively [15]. The Holocene aquifers are close to the surface in the Nam Định Province and can be exploited with means of digged wells. The Pleistocene aquifers are exploited by means of the so called “UNICEF” drills.

The counted 76,238 and other not known private “UNICEF” drills are most often not planned and uncontrolled. From 2003 to 2005 the known number of such drills increased from 43,000 to 76,000. This describes the pressure on the inhabitants to use groundwater source instead of surface water. In short time these drills can help to cover the peoples need of clean water, on long term view strong negative consequences for the groundwater resources are uprising. The mainly uncontrolled drills threat to decrease the size of the known fresh water lenses, with subsequent intrusion of brackish or salt water. Also these private „low tech“ drills cause uncleanness of the groundwater. In the end they could destroy whole aquifers and lower the groundwater table seriously [oral notice from Phạm Khánh Huy, 2005].

Table 2. Water supply for Nam Định City and district centres in the province in 2003-2010
(Source Phạm Gia Thụy and Nguyễn Xuân Tuyến, 2005)

No	City and Townlet	Location	Area (ha)		Population			Water supply to 2010
No	City and Townlet	Location	2003	2010	2001	2002	2003	Water source	Demand (m³/Đáy)
1	Nam Định City Suburban area	Nam Định Province	4,544.7	2400	226,380 160,065 66,315	236,880 168,730 68,150	317,000 258,600 63,400	Surface water (Đào River)	100,000
2	Gôi Townlet	Vụ Bản	469.6	150	6,437	6,565	11,000	Surface water (Đào River)	5,000 upgrade
3	Lâm Townlet	Ý Yên	899	250	9,239	9,310	13,500	Surface water (Đáy River)	5,000 upgrade
4	Cổ Lễ Townlet	Trực Ninh	490.12	270	10,538	10,869	15,500	Surface water (Red River)	5,000 upgrade
5	Ngô Đồng Townlet	Giao Thuỷ	257.48	100	5,833	9,500	10,000	Surface water	5,000 new
6	Liễu Đề Townlet	Nghĩa Hưng	408.2	130	6,480	6,550	13,000	Surface water	3,000 new
7	Rạng Đông Townlet	Nghĩa Hưng	1,314	50	7,816	7,746	10,000	Surface water	2,000 new
8	Yên Định Townlet	Hải Hậu	176.16	22,46		5,185	9,000	Surface water	5,000 new
9	Thịnh Long Townlet	Hải Hậu	1,568.2	22,45	14.65	14,482	22,000	Surface water	15,000 new
10	Cồn Townlet	Hải Hậu	216.89	8,59	7.635	8,144	9,500	Surface water	3,000 new
11	Mỹ Lộc Townlet	Mỹ Lộc	438	150		4,786	8,000	Surface water (Giáng River)	2,500 new
12	Nam Giang Townlet	Nam Trực	704.55	274,4		16,547	21,100	Surface water (Đào River)	5,000 new
13	Xuân Trường Townlet	Xuân Trường	616.2	70		13,000	16,400	Surface water (Ninh river)	3,000 new
14	Quất Lâm Townlet	GiaoThuỷ	795.4	80		9,726	12,000	Ground-water	10,000 new
15	Total		12,898			359,290	488,000		168,500

Recently no sewage treatment facility is installed in the Nam Định Province. The needs for the construction of such a facility are intensively observed. But the financing is the limiting factor, so that the search for international investment is the only activity in this filed until now. A basis for refinance is not known. Concrete planning are only known for a treatment plant (4,500 m³/d in a initial period, 9,000 m³/d after a second construction period) that shall be constructed in 2006/2007. This facility shall be installed in Nam Định City, in the new industrial park Hòa Xá (327 ha, calculated water demand ca. 9,000 m³/d).

VI. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE BASE FOR WATER MANAGEMENT IN NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

With the “Law on Water Resource” (No. 8/1998/QH10 of May 20, 1998) and the criteria’s to control resources for supply with surface- and groundwater (TCDX 233-1999) are existing two laws that rely to water resources for drinking water supply. Drinking water quality standards are defined in the laws “Standard on Water Quality” (TCXD 33-1985) and “Sanitary standard on drinking & domestic Water” (Decision No. 505/BYT/QD 04/13/1992), changed in 2002 by Decision No. 1329/2002/BYT/QD 04/18/2002. To observe and analyse drinking, raw and river water as well as solids (soils) analysing standards according to ISO standards are most often used in Việt Nam. Limits for water contamination are fixed as follows: (a) for surface water in TCVN 5942-1995, (b) for coastal water in TCVN 5943-1995, (c) for groundwater in TCVN 5944-1995.

In Nam Định Province public water companies are responsible for the water supply. Each district centre has its own branch office. As the water is taken from these companies, the user (industrial, domestic, public) has to pay a fee to the public provider. The price for the water is levelled by the usage. Actually low level users pay 3,000 VND/m³, high level users (> 100 m³/month) about 10,000 VND/m³.

The responsibility for the raw water, raw water protection and the rural water supply is taken by the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). For the urban water supply the Ministry of Construction (MoC) is responsible. The responsibility for the sewage sanitation is taken by the upper named ministries and the Ministry for Health. Especially in means of drinking water supply, and also in sanitation manner, large differences between rural and urban areas are obviously [11]. Based on the law “Decree no. 67/2003/ND-CP of June 13, 2003 on environmental protection charges for waste water” the Việt Namese government did create a framework to take install a fee sewage sanitation. According to this law industrial, domestic and public users are liable to a fee. Also who is not at all connected to the sanitation system has to pay the fee. The value of the fee is set up by the provinces, but the price is not allowed to exceed 10% of the price for drinking water and for the industry shall be installed a fee regarding the quality of their sewage. The fees are taken by the public water supply companies. Up to 50% of the excess money shall be investments in the environmental sector and to upgrade water supply and sanitation infrastructure in the provinces.

The following institutions shall support governmental decisions on water supply and sanitation (a) National Water Resource Council (NWRC) [http://www.nwrc.org.vn/index.htm] and (b) National Standing Committee on RWSS http://www.cerwass.org.vn/English/index_e.htm]. Especially the last one (under direction of MARD) shall support the water supply and sanitation in rural areas (RWSS: Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation in Việt Nam).

With the project “General management of clean water supply and environment in rural areas of Nam Định Province” the administration of Nam Định Province aims the goal to supply 100% of the rural population with clean water until 2010 [15]. Also by 2010 80% of the urban population shall have access to clean water. For Nam Định City that would mean a need of about 21 to 26,2 x 10⁶ m³ annually. The total annual need for water for Nam Định City will be about 36,5 x 106 m³ by 2010 [23].

In Việt Nam are existing several detailed and legally fixed limitation standards for the different water sources. But the scope of action for their protection is reduced anyway by still missing legal and financial framework. Actually, the largest problem for the administration are the „UNICEF“-drills. Since three years ago it is forbidden to install new drills, but it is impossible to control the ban. In the traditional way the refuse is collected at the channel banks, that is transported into the sea during the rainy season. Recently Nam Định City carries on an own waste deposit, a communal refuse collection and a composting facility.

VII. WATER QUALITY IN NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

The quality of river water is very low due to untreated sewage inlets in the upper river (Tab. 3). The river water does not meet the Vietnamese standard for fresh water quality. Also by untreated sewage from the agriculture (e.g. 300 t of insecticides in use annually) the river water quality in Nam Định Province is decreased seriously [6]. During the dry season in Red and Ninh Cơ river water the values for DDT exceed the limit for rural areas in Việt Nam (1 μg/l) by 50 - 100 times. Still the limit for B class surface water (TCVN 5942-1995) is exceeded (10 μg/l). In handicraft villages channel water is loaded especially with heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr, Al und Fe) and cyanides, exceeding the limits by up to 50 times [18].

Investigations on the water quality in the Holocene aquifers revealed serious loads of NH₄ (13.5 mg/l) and Fe (6.83 mg/l) in the groundwater. The values exceed the Việt Namese and WHO limits (limits for drinking water according to TCBYT-1329-2002: NH₄ 1.5 mg/l and Fe 0.5 mg/l; limit for groundwater according to TCVN 5944-1995: Fe 1-5 mg/l). During the dry season NH₄ values reach maximum. It’s the time when the groundwater resourse is used because the minimum of surface water available. The NH₄ amounts are to be seen as dissolved products from organic material of the fluvial Red river sediments [8, 15.17]. Groundwater with a NH₄ content exceeding 3 mg/l is banned from usage. With NH₄ contents ranging between 1 and 3 mg/l groundwater is allowed for domestic usage only. In the southern parts of the province NH₄ contents are within the limits (< 1 mg/l). Still worse is the distribution of Fe in the Holocene aquifer, as the contents exceed the limit (5 mg/l) all over the province area by far. Only in small areas the water can be used after gravel filter treatment (Fe 1 - 5 mg/l). So nearly the whole Holocene groundwater resource is not suitable for public use or in industry and aquaculture [17]. Actually also salinity is limiting groundwater usage. It is caused by fossil brackish water lenses and by salt water intrusion from sea side in the coastal areas. The economically more important Pleistocene aquifer carries brackish water e.g. in the urban north-eastern part of the province (TDS >1 g/l). In the rural south-western part of the province a 650 km² large fresh water lense was discovered (TDS 0.2-0.35 g/l). The Ninh Cơ river describes the border between the brackish and fresh water resources of the Pleistocene aquifer [6, 15]. According to investigations a daily amount of 200,000 m³ high quality fresh water could be exploited on the long term. The potential usage of that fresh water lens is reduced by higher NH₄ contents (> 1 mg/l) and mean Fe contents (1-5 mg/l) to a small coastal area in the Hải Hậu District. Also in this area the water can only be used after Fe treatment. Nam Định City as Vụ Bản and Giao Thủy districts, are limited for surface water usage, as the parameters of Holocene and Pleistocene aquifers do not allow a suitable groundwater usage. All the other districts can use the groundwater source with limitations, most often only for domestic usage. For drinking water rain water is stored. Due to the poor developed irrigation network and production caused uncleanness of water, in Ý Yên district surface water is limited. So the inhabitants are forced to use groundwater source. The Pleistocene aquifer carries saline water. So about 40,000 digged wells exploit the Holocene aquifer, that shows highest NH₄ and Fe contents.

Table 3. Water quality of the Red River in Nam Định Province (Source Nguyễn Hữu Khải, 2005)

Character	pH	OD	Concentration (mg/l)							Alkali-nity	Minerali-zation	Turbidity (g/m³)
Character	pH	OD	Ca	Mg	HCO₃	SO₄	F	Cl	SiO₂	Alkali-nity	Minerali-zation	Turbidity (g/m³)
Average	6.76	1.82	12	3.36	58.8	9.39	0.49	6.26	9.23	0.97	100	2,280
Maximum Date	7.60 1980	18 1981	33.7 1982	15.8	189 1982	56 1982	3.9 1966	36.9 1978	24 1977	3.1 1982	288 1978	65,400 1966
Minimum Date	4.4 1974	0.2 1981	2.4 1971	0.5 1973	14.8 1976	0.5 1972	0.02 1980	0.7 1976	0.5 1969	0.24 1970	26,3 1976	2,69 1977

VIII. WATER MANAGEMENT IN NAM ĐỊNH PROVINCE

Nam Định Province water management is traditional limited to the agriculture. This includes for example working times for the irrigation channels or pumps directed by the communes. For this logistic support the peasants have to pay. Because the water resource seems to be plenty in Việt Nam, a sustainable use or even the conscience on it is poorly or even not developed. The population growth and the industrialisation put pressure and danger on the water resources now [6]. About 90% of all water suppliers do not meet the standard for fresh water quality, only 40% cover the demand. The sewage from agriculture, industry and private households is cleared untreated mainly and unclean surface and ground water. Especially in the urban areas water resources are unclean by untreated sewage from private households. Also the sinking of the groundwater table by uncontrolled exploitation is a serious problem [23, 15, 6]. By the high sedimentation rates of the rivers the channels become flatter and so, the potential for agriculture irrigation is lowered and ship traffic is jammed. By the reduction of water flow in the tributaries of the Red river the demand by agriculture is not covered by river water in these areas.

The Ninh Cơ river, for example, carries 200 - 250 m³/s (periodically 50 - 70 m³/s), but the demand by agriculture is 300 - 370 m³/s. The water levels of tributaries are by 15 - 20 cm lower than in Red river, that supports salt intrusion [15]. By the rising water demand the drinking water supply will become the limiting factor for economic and welfare development in the future will put high pressure. The input of untreated sewage into the water system is one important factor leading to the destruction of the water resource in Nam Định Province recently. Also the communication and interaction between the administrations is suboptimal [23]. These processes lead to a re-thinking in the government structures now. On regional level Peoples Committees shall build strategies for the future water resource usage, environmental assessments are planned. But still there are conflicts between several state programs, especially between urban and rural programmes. This situation reveals the need of a water management system [2].

REFERENCES

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(UNPUBLISHED)

1. Statistical data from Nam Giang Commune People’s Committee 2000. Nam Giang, 2000.

2. Statistical data from Nam Giang Commune People’s Committee 2001. Nam Giang, 2001.

3. Statistical data from Xuân Tiến Commune People’s Committee 2000. Xuân Tiến 2000.

4. Statistical data from Xuân Tiến Commune People’s Committee 2001. Xuân Tiến 2001.

5. Statistical data from Tòng Xá, Commune People’s Committee 2000. Tòng Xá, 2000.

6. Statistical data from Tòng Xá, Commune People’s Committee 2001. Tòng Xá, 2001.

Period	Time	Water amount (x 10⁶m³)
Period	Time	Total	Red River	Đáy River	Đào River	Ninh Cơ River
12 months of year	Present	2,179.6	1,000.4	307.9	174.3	697.0
12 months of year	2010 year	2,245.4	1,093.8	308.7	264.9	886.7
5 months of dry season	Present	1,184.8	538.5	174.1	94.5	337.8
5 months of dry season	2010 year	1,270.7	556.9	177.5	126.0	420.8