Main Goals
The main goal was to develop a layered process to identify water management problems and to prioritize the need for IWRM measures on the example of Vietnam.
Precondition on a national level is a legal basis, as has been laid out in Vietnam through new water related legislature and special decrees. Prioritization of the need for action by identifying river basins with increased problem intensity has also taken place on a national level.
Subsequently, a process for problem identification and action prioritization within such river basins has been developed in the joint R&D project IWRM Vietnam. This includes an observation of the risks for water management and water supply and the risks for water supply due to waste water discharge from point and diffuse pollution sources and has been bundled into the so called “Planning and Decision Support Tools”.
The Planning and Decision Support Tools on river basin level are supported by the development of exemplary IWRM measures on local level such as water protection concepts, waste water treatment, drinking water processing, monitoring etc. Related pilot concepts have also been implemented.
Methodic concept
The Water Sector Review (ADB, 2009) represents a review of water resources and water resources usage in Vietnam. One significant aspect here is the prioritization of river basins based on their problem intensity. This prioritization was included in the NTP Water Resources (MONRE, 2010 a). The highest priority lies with the river basins Nhue-Day River, Cau River, Dong Nai River, Vu Gia-Thu Bon River and Cuu Long River.
The methodic concept as developed within the joint R&D project IWRM Vietnam continues this prioritization as planning level concept (cf. STOLPE et al., 2011). The planning level concept facilitates an examination of entire river basins (planning level river basin), which is layered and problem oriented and efficient at the same time, initially in an overview exploration (scale approx. 1:300,000) to define “Water Management Units” (WMUs) with increased problem intensity and prioritized call for action (hot spot areas).
Further research efforts should be used to develop methods for detailed evaluation of previously prioritized WMUs (planning level water management units, scale approx. 1:50,000), in order to determine type, scope and localization of necessary IWRM measures.
Altogether this results in a systematic approach, rendering possible a labor efficient, targeted and cost efficient process especially for countries, such as Vietnam, which are only just starting to set up an IWRM.