In response to information about the Funan Techo canal project (also known as the Funan - Techo canal project) of Cambodia that will upset the Western ecosystem; could take away 50% of the water from the Mekong River;... Professor - Doctor, People's Teacher Vo Tong Xuan is a scientist in the field of agriculture - said that, initially, this is not too much of a concern. as reported by some press recently. However, we also need to wait for specific data to evaluate.
What does Professor Vo Tong Xuan say about the Funan Techo canal ?
“I don't have anyAccurate data on the flow in the dry season at the Tien and Hau rivers as well as the amount of water Cambodia will take and the amount of water will flow through Vietnam, however, initially, I think this is not too much of a concern. ”, Professor Vo Tong Xuan said.
According to Professor Vo Tong Xuan, we are currently taking water from the Tien and Hau rivers to irrigate the Dong Thap Muoi area and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, with very high efficiency. On the other hand, during the flood season, there is a lot of water from Cambodia and overflows through the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, partly down to Hong Ngu (Dong Thap).
Professor Vo Tong Xuan said that the water flow to the Mekong Delta in the coming time will not change much. Therefore, we are not in a hurry to say whether the construction of the Funan Techo canal project will cause harm or not. However, he believes that this will not cause great damage to Vietnam.
Currently, Cambodia is doing an environmental impact assessment of the project. We are still waiting for information from this review. If they make the canal too wide and too deep, it will cause damage to Vietnam. At that time, Vietnam will have ideas for them to narrow it down.
"We are only concerned about the amount of water in the dry season, but in the rainy season we don't have to worry about it," Professor Vo Tong Xuan shared and said that in Cambodia's announcement, it was mentioned that the impact of the project was insignificant. They give that number but don't know what the reality will be.
The International Mekong River Commission met, but did not completely believe in the report that Cambodia submitted and is asking Cambodia to re-investigate carefully. We are also waiting for exact numbers.
Regarding solutions, Professor Vo Tong Xuan said that, on the one hand, we will propose to the International Mekong River Commission to support countries in conducting a joint study on the project's cross-border impacts on all countries. areas and propose measures to minimize impacts.
On the one hand, to obtain more information, within the framework of the 1995 Mekong River Agreement, Vietnam has the right to propose that the Cambodian side cooperate and provide additional information with the International Mekong River Commission and Vietnam on issues related to the Mekong River Delta. Content such as: Operating procedures for 3 locks; Other purposes of the canal such as serving agricultural production, the specific area to be irrigated is how many hectares; Connect the canal route with the existing river and canal system where the navigation canal route crosses; Solution to ensure safety when an incident occurs. At that time, the adverse impacts caused by the canal route will be fully calculated and mitigation solutions will be proposed.
According to information from the consultation meeting on Cambodia's Funan - Techo canal project organized by the Vietnam Mekong Committee (VNMC) on April 23 in City. Can Tho, Funan - Techo canal project connecting Bassac River to Kep port in Cambodia, with a total length of about 4 km.
Accordingly, this canal is designed with large enough dimensions, specifically, the bottom width of the canal is 5 m, the width of the canal surface is from 80-120 m and the water level depth in the canal is 4,7 m to accommodate ships. up to 1.000 tons can pass through.
The project will build 3 culverts (locks) to regulate the flow, maintain the stability of water levels in the navigation canal and prevent saltwater intrusion. These culverts are 135 m long, 18 m wide, and 5,8 m deep. In addition to the above work items, the project also builds 11 traffic bridges (161 m long, 12 m wide) across the canal to serve the travel needs of people.
It is expected that the project will be started by the Cambodian side in 2024 and completed in 2027 with a total volume of goods circulating through this new waterway of 7 million tons/year.
Previously, on August 8, 8, Cambodia sent a notice to the Secretariat of the International Mekong River Commission (MRC) about the Funan Techo inland waterway project. Some information about the canal route: Length x width x depth of the canal route: LxBxH = 2023 km x 180m x 50m; There are 4,7 locks to control water levels and traffic flow (LxBxH: 3x135x18 m); The average maximum daily flow through the lock is 5,8 m³/s.
The 234 km long Tien River or Tien Giang is the left downstream branch (left bank) of the Mekong River, in the Northwest - Southeast direction, flowing from Phnom Penh, through Kandal, along the natural boundary between Prey Veng province of Cambodia, flowing into the Mekong Delta, belongs to Vietnamese territory starting at Vinh Xuong commune (Tan Chau, An Giang) and Thuong Phuoc 1 (Hong Ngu, Dong Thap).
The Hau River or Hau Giang is as long as the Tien River and also separates from the Mekong River (on the right bank) in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), flows in Kandal territory and then enters Vietnamese territory in Khanh An commune, An Phu district (An Giang). .
The Tien River and Hau River create the largest Mekong Delta in our country, with about 4 million hectares of fertile alluvial land, of which 1,2 million hectares along the river are very suitable for growing rice. The intricate network of rivers and canals is very convenient in providing water for rice and crop production, aquaculture and fishing, and traveling by boat.
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| Professor Vo Tong Xuan |
Consultation workshop on Cambodia’s Funan-Techo canal held in Can Tho
The Vietnam National Mekong Committee (VNMC) on April 23 held a consultation workshop on Cambodia’s proposed Funan-Techo canal project which has raised concerns about potential impacts on the Mekong river.
Can Tho (VNA) – The Vietnam National Mekong Committee (VNMC) on April 23 held a consultation workshop on Cambodia’s proposed Funan-Techo canal project which has raised concerns about potential impacts on the Mekong river.
Attending the workshop in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, domestic stakeholders and international experts discussed Cambodia’s plan to build the Funan Techo canal, a 180km waterway linking Bassac River (called the Hau River in Vietnam, which is one of the two main branches of Mekong River) with Kep port and onto the Gulf of Thailand.
The participants were informed about the International Mekong River Commission (MRC)’s assessment on impacts of the project, the impacts that Vietnam pays attention to, requirements on the results of impact assessment and measures to minimise and monitor the project’s impacts.
According to VNMC, Cambodia sent an official notification to the MRC about its plan to build the Funan-Techno canal. Because the canal directly uses the water source of the Bassac River, the main distributary of the Mekong River, the project has raised many concerns regarding its cross-border impact. The development would impact water resources of the Mekong Delta, especially in the context of drought and saltwater intrusion plaguing the region more frequently and more severely.
The Funan - Techo canal will transfer water from the Bassac River, a tributary of the Mekong River, to Kep port located outside the basin. This will significantly reduce water resources to the Mekong Delta, causing a negative impact on the livelihoods and production of local people and natural ecosystems.
Associate Professor, Dr. Le Anh Tuan, advisor to the Institute of Climate Change Research, Can Tho University, said that when the Funan-Techo canal is formed, it will have a negative impact on the Mekong Delta. However, the level of influence depends on the canal’s scale and usage.
Participants said they hope Cambodia would early share details about the goals, design and operations of the project and engage in joint research on its impacts with a view to reaching appropriate measures to monitor and minimise the impacts.
Chief of the VNMC Office Nguyen Thi Thu Linh said that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the VNMC will continue to coordinate closely with the MRC Secretariat, Cambodia and other MRC member countries to accelerate research over the impacts of the Funan–Techo project and propose mitigation measures and monitor the impact.
The Mekong Delta with an area of about 40,000 sq. km is home to more than 17.4 million people. It is considered the rice, fruit and aquatic product granary of Vietnam as it contributes 50% of the country’s rice production, 65% of aquaculture and 17% of Vietnam's GDP.
The delta has been affected by severe drought and salinity in 2015-2016, 2019 and currently 2023-2024 as El Nino impacts local ocean waters and weather patterns. As the weather is predicted to become increasingly extreme, natural disasters including droughts, floods, and saltwater intrusion will hit the region more frequently with more ferocity./.
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| At the consultation workshop on Cambodia’s proposed Funan-Techo canal project in Can Tho |
Cambodian Funan Techo Canal might reduce water flow to Hậu River
The Funan Techo Canal Cambodia is building might use up to 30 per cent of the water flowing into the upstream of the Hậu River, which in turn is likely to worsen the saltwater intrusion in its downstream in the Mekong Delta, experts warned at a consultation meeting held in Cần Thơ City yesterday.
Can Tho – The Funan Techo Canal Cambodia is building might use up to 30 per cent of the water flowing into the upstream of the Hậu River, which in turn is likely to worsen the saltwater intrusion in its downstream in the Mekong Delta, experts warned at a consultation meeting held in Cần Thơ City yesterday.
The canal will draw water from the Hậu River, a distributary of the Mekong River, which raises concerns among officials, international organisations and scientists about its trans-national impacts.
The 180-kilometre canal will transfer water from the Hậu River to Kep port located outside the basin, which will significantly reduce water flow to the Mekong Delta, experts told the meeting.
Besides, the canal could take up to 150m3/s if used for agricultural, industrial and service purposes, or 30 per cent of the water flow into the Hậu River in the dry season.
The lack of water in the Hậu could lead to soil erosion in An Giang Province's Châu Đốc City and nearby Châu Phú District, Assoc Prof Dr Lê Anh Tuấn of the Research Institute for Climate Change said.
Besides, the canal might use up 2 per cent of the water flow into the Mekong Delta if its three sluices are constantly opened for transportation, a report by the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research, a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development agency, said.
Tuấn said severe saltwater intrusion could occur in the downriver area, also impacting the biodiversity of the delta.
Director General of the Việt Nam National Mekong Committee, Nguyễn Thị Thu Linh, said the committee, the ministry, the Mekong River Commission Secretariat, Cambodia, and other committee member countries would work together to accelerate research on the project's impacts, propose mitigation measures, monitor impacts, and organise consultation activities.
Work on the US$1.7 billion canal is expected to begin this year and be completed in 2028.
It is designed to provide more waterways to southwestern Cambodia so that its water transportation becomes less dependent on the Mekong River that flows into Việt Nam.
The canal will also supply water for over 300,000 hectares of crops in Kandal and Kampot provinces. – VNS
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| Cambodia’s upcoming Funan Techo Canal might draw up to 30 per cent of the water flowing into the Hậu River in the Mekong Delta, leading to severe saltwater intrusion in the downriver area, experts told a meeting held on April 23 in Cần Thơ City. |
Cambodia's Funan Techo canal could upset Mekong Delta ecosystem
By Staff reporters April 25, 2024 | 06:02 am GMT+7Construction of the Funan Techo Canal from the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand will cause water shortages and increase salinization in Vietnam's already parched Mekong Delta, experts said.
The delta is already suffering legions of dead crops and families without water due to droughts, hot weather, severe erosion of useable farmland, drying out of seafood resources and a series of unplanned events channeling water away from what is known as Vietnam's fruit, rice and vegetable basket.
It is Vietnam's most important agricultural region, on par with similar growing and cultivation areas in its neighboring countries.
As Vietnam and its importers rely on the delta for sustenance, the situation is already dire. And it looks like a canal upstream will make matters worse, according to scientists.
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| A schoolboy walks on the bed of a canal, which has run dry, in Tran Van Thoi District of Ca Mau Province in the Mekong Delta, March, 2024. |
On May 19, 2023, the Cambodian Council of Ministers approved the Tonle Bassac navigation and logistics system project to maximize the potential of Cambodia’s waterway transportation by connecting the Mekong River system to the sea after a 26-month study has been completed.
The canal, named Funan Techo, is estimated to cost US$1.7 billion, and would be built by Chinese company CRBC through the build-operate-transfer method.
It is set to flow 180 km, connecting the Phnom Penh River port with the Gulf of Thailand in southwestern Cambodia. It will pass through four provinces including Kandal, Takeo, Kampot, and Kep, with about 1.6 million people living on both sides.
The project is expected to have a width of 100 m upstream and 80 m downstream, with a depth of 5.4 m, allowing cargo ships with a total load of up to 3,000 tons to pass during the dry season and 5,000 tons during the rainy season.
It will comprise three water gates, 11 bridges, and 208 km of roads on both sides.
According to the plan, the canal construction will start at the end of this year and be operational by 2028.
Definite negative impact
Le Anh Tuan, a Senior Lecturer at the College of Environment and Natural Resources and the Research Institute for Climate Change at Can Tho University in Can Tho City – the largest commercial hub and de facto capital of the Mekong Delta – said the formation of the Funan Techo Canal will definitely have a negative impact on the region, and that the extent of the impact depends on the scale and purpose of the construction of the canal.
He highlighted a point of concern when saying that the first section of the canal connects the upstream of the Tien River and Hau River, both of which are major branches of the Mekong River in Vietnam, before continuing to flow towards the Gulf of Thailand. The canal will drastically change water flows in these bodies of water.
Cambodia justifies the project as a way to develop inter-Mekong river transportation, but it is very likely to use a lot of water for agricultural and industrial development, Tuan told VnExpress.
As for the structure of the Mekong River's water, the Tien River accounts for 90%, and the Hau River 10%. Therefore, the water from the Hau River is not enough, leading to the excavation of the Funan Techo Canal connecting with the Tien River, he said.
This will lead to a redistribution of water between the two rivers before flowing into Vietnamese territory.
Le Anh Tuan, a Senior Lecturer at the College of Environment and Natural Resources and the Research Institute for Climate Change at Can Tho University in Can Tho City speaks at a conference discussing the Funan Techo Canal project on April 23, 2024 in the city. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Nam
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| Le Anh Tuan, a Senior Lecturer at the College of Environment and Natural Resources and the Research Institute for Climate Change at Can Tho University in Can Tho City, speaks at a conference discussing the Funan Techo Canal project on April 23, 2024. |
Depending on the amount of water flowing into the Hau River when it enters An Giang Province, there will be impacts causing erosion from Chau Doc City to Chau Phu District (at the junction with the Vam Nao River) because this river section is narrow, spanning only a few hundred meters wide.
Consequently, the water-regulating role of the Vam Nao River (connecting the Tien and Hau rivers) will be affected, leading to many other issues.
"When the Funan Techo Canal is operational, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam will experience an increase in the shortage of fresh water for daily life, agriculture, production, aside from deeper and more frequent saltwater intrusion, and the ecosystems will be disrupted," Tuan said.
Attending a conference discussing the Funan Techo Canal project on Tuesday in Can Tho, Tuan said the canal project will flow through a region home to about 1.6 million people, creating a basis for economic development in Cambodia. In the future, the population in this area is expected to increase thanks to urbanization along the canal and the growth of many commercial and logistic facilities.
"Therefore, if we consider the full account, including the water needed for domestic and industrial purposes of this project, the water levels in the Tien and Hau rivers reaching the Mekong Delta might decrease by about 50%. During the dry season, the water shortage in the delta could become more severe," he said, adding that with the decrease, the potential for deeper saltwater intrusion could affect over half of the cultivated area in the Mekong Delta in the dry season and during high tide periods.
Moreover, the planning for the Mekong Delta region and local areas for the period 2021-2030 and with a vision towards 2050 may need to be adjusted because those plans were built without the canal project put into consideration.
Tuan said the government's one-million-hectare high-quality rice program could be impacted due to the characteristics of water scarcity and declining soil health, especially during the winter-spring crop season.
The shortage of fresh water in the Mekong Delta will affect dozens of climate change adaptation projects and poverty alleviation projects that have been and are being implemented. A portion of the population that has escaped poverty may be at risk of falling back into poverty and there could be an increase in migration away from the delta, he said.
Pham Dang Tri, Director of the Research Institute for Climate Change (DRAGON-Mekong Institute), also expressed concerns about the negative environmental impact on the Mekong River water system, especially the downstream flow from Cambodia to Vietnam.
He analyzed that in recent years, the Mekong Delta has faced significant challenges from severe droughts during the dry seasons (typically lasts from late November to early May) in the years with El Nino, especially during 2015-2016 and 2019-2020.
Climate change forecasts also indicate a disruption of the natural monsoon cycle, which means the weather will become increasingly extreme, leading to increased frequency of droughts, floods, saltwater intrusion.
Meanwhile, the Funan Techo Canal will control the water source, changing the hydrological flow, leading to more severe water environment and ecosystem problems. This not only affects Vietnam but also the Cambodian people downstream of this canal.
Specifically, it is detrimental to agriculture such as rice production, aquaculture, industry, and people's lives, he said.
Defense mechanisms
According to the 1995 Mekong Agreement, which was signed by governments of its four member countries – Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – established the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to focus on the sustainable development and management of the Mekong River basin's water and related resources, making sure projects affecting the main stream of the Mekong be "technically reviewed" by the MRC and receive feedback from four member countries.
This is an important international legal basis for Vietnam, requiring Cambodia to seek widespread opinions from countries in the region on this canal project.
But Tri does not expect the "impact" of this agency. Because the MRC is only a coordinating party, helping countries negotiate together for the common interest of the river, but cannot enact specific sanctions.
"The problem of the Mekong river basin has been demonstrated through many incidents. For example, when dams are built on the main stream, the MRC cannot decide because they are just a platform for parties to exchange," he said.
However, this is still an official international mechanism that is internationally recognized.
Therefore, in the current context, he believes that Vietnam needs to raise issues of this canal and through MRC to create pressure for Cambodia to provide more comprehensive and detailed reports.
Simultaneously, Vietnamese authorities need to work closely with domestic and international scientists to assess the impacts and consequences of this canal in the future.
A man joins other locals in Go Cong Dong District of the Mekong Deltas An Giang Province gets water from a tank for daily use as the delta suffers from a severe fresh water shortage and salt intrusion, April 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Nam
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| A man joins his neighbors in Go Cong Dong District of the Mekong Delta's An Giang Province to get water from a tanker for daily use as the delta suffers from a severe fresh water shortage and salt intrusion, April 2024 |
Nguyen Nghia Hung, Deputy Director of the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research (SIWRR), stated that continuous monitoring and updating of meteorological and hydrological changes in the Mekong River basin show that the development of hydropower and agriculture upstream has many impacts downstream.
Specifically, the delta has received lower than normal levels of annual floodwaters, which flows to the Mekong Delta to provide migration routes and breeding sites for many species of fish, distributes sediment that retains nutrients for agriculture, recharges groundwater aquifers, and prevents salt intrusion, not to mention washing away chemical residues left from previous crops.
The flow of the river has become deficient against the natural law, with low flow at the beginning of the dry season and the rainy season, making salt intrusion come early.
"The Mekong Delta has been and is being reshaped by these changes," he said, noting that in this context, Cambodia's commencement of the Funan Techo waterway canal will increase concerns about drought and salt intrusion on the delta.
Limited information
Hung continued to say that the information about the project that Cambodia provided to the MRC in the announcement on Aug. 8 last year is still very limited, and did not enough to fully assess the increasing impact on water, sediment, erosion, and salt intrusion.
He believes that the project needs to give the public more information about: the operation process of the entire transportation route in general and the water gates in particular.
Questions need to be answered such as: who will monitor the flow through the canal route compared to the announced average of 3.6m3/s, and how will they do it and be held accountable. Other purposes of the canal route (such as serving agricultural production) include the connection of the canal route with the existing cross-cutting rivers, solutions to minimize the adverse impact with waterway traffic accidents such as oil spills, hazardous pollutants.
But experts have expressed skepticism about some of these motives, and wonder if the company building the canal really cares about anything here other than profit.
According to Cambodia's report, the Funan Techo Canal has three flow control gates, and the average flow through the transportation route is about 3.6 m3/s.
However, Hung's institute SIWRR's preliminary assessment of this canal route yields different results. Specifically, in the case of continuous opening of the gates and increasing some irrigation areas where the transportation route passes, the maximum capacity (Qmax) could be much larger than the data announced by Cambodia.
From this reality, SIWRR recommends Cambodia share more information about the project with MRC and Vietnam, supporting related parties to conduct a more comprehensive assessment of the project. If the impact level is greater than the initial report, MRC and Vietnam need to conduct a joint study on the cross-border impact of the project in all areas, thereby proposing measures to minimize the impact.
Already desperate
The Mekong Delta spans about 40,000 km2 and is home to more than 17.4 million people.
It accounts for 50% of rice production, 65% of aquaculture, and contributes 17% of the country's economic growth.
For a month now, during the peak of the dry season, this region has been experiencing severe saltwater intrusion and water shortage.
According to a 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Mekong Delta is one of three deltas classified to have extreme vulnerability of impact from sea level rise caused by climate change, with the other two being the Ganges River Delta of the Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh and Nile River Delta in Egypt.
Regarding this project from a transportation perspective, Khuc Thi Nguyet Hao, a representative from the Department of Inland Waterways under the Ministry of Transport, reported that upon investigation, several impractical points related to the canal project were discovered.
She said Cambodia aims to construct the canal to enhance the logistics corridor for waterway transport. Upon completion of the project, goods traveling from Phnom Penh to China, Korea, and Japan via the 180-km-long Funan Techo canal route from Phnom Penh to Kampot would then need to navigate around Cape Ca Mau of Vietnam, totaling about 900 km.
Therefore, compared to traditional waterway transport routes, this route would extend the journey by about 500 km, indicating that the new canal route does not offer benefits in terms of waterway transportation efficiency.
Previously on April 9, the Cambodian president of the Senate Hun Sen denied information saying the canal could create conditions for Chinese military vessels to enter the Mekong River.
Funan Techo Cambodia Canal and lessons on Mekong cooperation
(VAN) Concerns regarding the Funan Techo canal, as expressed by certain experts at the Can Tho meeting, are indeed reasonable, yet they should be articulated without exaggeration.
After Cambodia's Funan Techo canal project was popularized at the meeting in Can Tho on April 23, 2024, what the experts' concerns were highly appreciated. Experts opinions are evaluated when based on a scientific and knowledge.
Some recent articles have "sensational" titles such as Cambodia digging the Funan Techo Canal will upset the Western ecosystem; The Funan - Techo Canal can take up to 50% of the Mekong River's water; The Funan Techo Canal could push Cambodia away from Vietnam towards China, making people confused and leaders also confused, worried, and concerned.
1. Information on the Funan Techo inland waterway route
On August 8, 2023, Cambodia sent a notice to the Secretariat of the International Mekong River Commission (MRC) about the Funan Techo inland waterway project. Some information about the canal route:
- Length x width x depth of the canal: LxBxH = 180 km x 50m x 4.7m;
- There are 3 locks to control water levels and navigation (LxBxH: 135x18x5.8 m); The average maximum daily flow through the lock is 3.6 m³/s.
Illustration of the location of the Funan Techo waterway and the location of 3 locks.
Illustration of the location of the Funan Techo waterway and the location of 3 locks.
2. Potential of water resources of the Mekong River and of the Mekong Delta
Potential water resources of the Mekong River
The Mekong River basin has an area of about 795,000 km², flowing through the territory of 6 countries: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, with a mainstream length of 4,800 km and a total annual flow volume of about 475 billion m³. The Mekong River ranks 21st in the world regarding basin area, 12th in length, and 8th in total flow.
Table: Compile information on area and flow contributions from countries in the Mekong River basin
Flow distribution to the Mekong Delta
The average flow distribution to the Mekong Delta in the period from 1995 to 2020 through Tan Chau and Chau Doc is about 12,450 m³/s, corresponding to a total volume of 394.2 billion m³. The slightest average monthly flow is 3,114 m³/s with a total 8.1 billion m³/month volume.
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Annual flow distribution of the Mekong to the Mekong Delta through Tan Chau and Chau Doc. |
3. Assess the impact of the Funan Techo inland waterway route
Development scenarios:
To consider the impact in the most unfavorable case, beyond the Cambodian side's announcement, what is the impact of the Funan Techo canal route?
- Case 1: If the maximum daily average flow through the canal is controlled at 3.6 m³/s.
- Case 2: The locks are continuously open freely in both flood and dry seasons (no control of flow through the locks as announced by Cambodia at 3.6 m³/s).
- Case 3: same as case 2 (continuous open locks) combined with agricultural water supply in Kandal, Takeo, Kampot, and Kep provinces.
According to hydraulic calculations and my experience in the Mekong river basin, through studying the terrain and farming areas in the southwest of Cambodia, the area that can be irrigated from the Funan canal is about approx. 60,000 to 80,000 hectares equals an estimated increase in irrigation flow of about 50-70 m3/s.
Therefore, compared with the flow of the Mekong River, people with expertise in hydrology and hydraulics heard information and comments that digging the Funan Techo canal would take about 50% of the Mekong River's water towards Vietnam and the island. Confusing the Western ecosystem is completely "arbitrary."
The hydraulic simulation results are summarized as follows:
If Cambodia implements the project and operates the canal according to the design notified to the Mekong River Commission, the maximum average daily flow through the canal is controlled at 3.6 m³/s. Compared to the Mekong River's potential water resource capacity to the delta through Tan Chau and Chau Doc, which is 12,450 m³/s, the project's impact on Vietnam's Mekong Delta is insignificant.
However, in cases 2 and 3, when the sluices are entirely open to allow water in the canal to flow freely to Kep port, combined with irrigation, the project will significantly impact the flow regime and the amount of sediment arriving. Mekong Delta simultaneously increases the area of saltwater intrusion deep into the delta. With the goal of serving navigation purposes and, if combined to serve the expansion of irrigation area as I analyzed above, the project will be able to reduce the amount of water on the Hau River (Bassac River) by 5-13% during the dry season. , from 2-6% during the rainy season. At the same time, the flow on the Tien River (Mekong River) will likely decrease by 2-4% in the dry season and by 1-3% in the rainy season.
The decrease in flow to the Vietnam Mekong Delta will cause deeper saltwater intrusion on both the Tien and Hau Rivers at a larger scale and earlier (occurring in December and January every year). At the same time, the amount of sediment reaching the Mekong Delta, which has decreased in recent years due to China's upstream dams, will continue to decrease due to the implementation of the Project. In addition, the decrease in flow and water level will also affect the ecological environment, reducing the survival space of the freshwater ecosystem.
Due to the increase in deep saline intrusion to a more considerable extent and earlier, it may coincide with the time of water supply for the Winter-Spring crop in the Mekong Delta, affecting people's production plans and the rice manufacturing industry of the region.
Solutions and lessons from cooperation in exploiting the Mekong River
For more information, within the framework of the 1995 Mekong River Agreement, Vietnam has the right to request the Cambodian to cooperate and provide additional information to the Mekong River Commission and Vietnam regarding:
i) Operating procedures for 3 locks;
ii) Other purposes of the canal such as serving agricultural production, how many hectares is the specific area irrigated;
iii) Connections of the canal route with the existing river and canal system where the navigation canal route crosses;
iv) Solutions to ensure safety when an incident occurs.
At that time, the adverse impacts caused by the canal route will be fully calculated and mitigation solutions will be proposed. Coordination between the two countries in the spirit of cooperation will further strengthen the relationship between the two neighboring countries in the lower Mekong basin to cope with the impacts of hydropower and agricultural development activities on the upper part of the Lower Mekong River from China, causing the reduction of flood flow, sediment, and aquatic resources, and the flow to be low and un-follow the natural principles.
There is nothing better than letting the Cambodian experts themselves convince their authorities. A joint research group should be established between MRCS, Vietnam, and Cambodia. As a result, the parties will agree on the project impact assessment and solutions to minimize adverse impacts and meet the competent authorities' requirements in Vietnam and Cambodia.
I have a very valuable and practical lesson. In the late 1990s, Cambodia responded and criticized Vietnam for digging canals and embankments in Dong Thap Muoi, causing water levels to rise and flooding the Cambodian side. I invited 3 Cambodian experts to the Southern Institute of Irrigation Planning to sit together and calculate and test hydraulic models with Vietnamese experts. At that time, there was no popular Danish MIKE model set, so we proactively provided the experts with VRSAP modeling software by the late Associate Professor - Labor Hero Nguyen Nhu Khue (including the source program). Simulation results show that the water level rise due to the impact of the canal embankment on the Vietnamese side is insignificant, and there are solutions to minimize it. It was the Cambodian experts who, upon returning home, convinced their country's leaders, so everything ended happily.
What needs to be learned from the recent information that has caused public confusion is that:
i) Vietnam's authority agencies have also made initial assessments based on the information shared by Cambodia and provided to the government that the initial assessment results show that in worse cases, the impact of the canal route is insignificant;
ii) Some articles deal with sensitive issues but have unreliable access sources, lack verification, and have untrue headlines, pushing public opinion against the goal of friend and neighborship relations between Vietnam - Cambodia as well as commitments and agreements on cooperation in the Mekong River countries, including Vietnam and Cambodia.
The concern about the Funal Techo channel expressed through some experts' statements at the Can Tho meeting is necessary. Still, avoiding exaggerating or "overstating" to attract views is necessary until the data is proven through calculations and reality. It will discredit not only the individual but the entire country.
Conclusion
Cambodia's Funan Techo inland waterway route, located entirely on Cambodian territory, is considered a development right, consistent with its cooperation and development interests. Cambodia has notified about the project according to the 1995 Mekong Agreement, although the flow they expect through the canal is very small.
Assuming that, after construction, Cambodia's Funal Techo inland waterway transportation project is supervised and carried out in accordance with Cambodia's notification to the Mekong River Commission, the water loss of 3.6 m³/s is very small compared to the potential flow of the Mekong River. If this canal route is used for multiple purposes, combining increased agricultural production along the Funal Techo waterway, the impact of water diversion will be greater. Still, it is insignificant compared to the potential water resource of the Mekong River.
Furthermore, these impacts can be minimized entirely through cooperation with the Mekong River Commission and monitoring and controlling the water flowing through the ship locks following Cambodia's notification.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, especially the Vietnam National Mekong Committee, needs to enhance its role and coordinate closely with the Mekong River Commission Secretariat, Cambodia, and MRC's member countries to promote the implementation of research on the impacts of the Project; At the same time, propose measures to minimize and monitor the impact of the Funan Techo canal project and upstream developments in general to more closely support the sustainable exploitation management of the Mekong River basin's water resources for the common benefit of the entire basin.
"Funan Techo Canal" will not greatly affect the flow of Hau River
“Available data shows that Cambodia's construction of the “Funan Canal” does not greatly affect the flow of the Hau River. Some information about this concern is just a general, unfounded concern.
Those who exaggerate the so-called "risk" have political intentions, only to divide Vietnam - Cambodia, divide Vietnam - China.
On October 17, 2023, in Beijing, on the sidelines of the "One Belt - One Road" Forum, Cambodia officially signed an agreement with China Road and Bridge Corporation on conducting a feasibility study of the project. Funan Techo Canal (“Funan Techo Canal”) construction project. According to khmertimeskh.com on January 18, 2024, the Tonle Bassac Road and Logistics System Project, commonly known as the “Funan Techo Canal” project, is expected to proceed. groundbreaking ceremony in the fourth quarter of 2024.
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