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Situation Analysis of the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon

River Basin, Central Vietnam

Ms Kristal Burry and Dr Peter Oliver(Education and Training, International WaterCentre, Brisbane, Australia)

Written for ‐

Keys for Success with Integrated Water Resource Management

5th Network of River Basin Organizations (NARBO) Training,

Hoi An, Vietnam, 18‐25 February, 2009



List of Acronyms

AAP Adversely Affected People

ADB Asian Development Bank

DARD Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

DoNRE Department of Natural Resources and Environment

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EVN Electricity of Vietnam

GoV Government of Vietnam

IDP International Donor Partners

IWRM Integrated Water Resource Management

MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

MoNRE Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

MoIT Ministry of Industry and Trade

NGO Non Government Organization

PID Provincial Industry Development

PPC Provincial People’s Committee

SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment

SEDP Socio‐Economic Development Plan

SUF Special Use Forests

RBO River Basin Organization

RBMB River Basin Management Board

VG‐TB Vu Gia‐Thu Bon

WCD World Commission on Dams

WWF

World

Wildlife

Fund

Disclaimer

While the authors have taken every effort to ensure the accuracy of the material presented in this

paper, they would welcome any feedback on the material presented that may further improve its

usefulness as an educational case study resource for training in Integrated Water Resource

Management. The situation analysis presented in this paper is the work of the authors and does not

necessarily represent the views, opinions or policies of the Network of River Basin Organizations

(NARBO) or any of its member organizations.



Situation Analysis – Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin

This situation analysis has been written to provide a trans‐disciplinary overview of the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon

River Basin in Central Vietnam. Integrated Water Resource Management relies on gaining such an

understanding of a river basin, its adjoining coastal zone, and the inhabitants of these areas before

attempting any water planning or management. Not doing so may lead to taking a uni‐disciplinary

approach which, while maximizing benefits for one particular area or purpose, can have unforeseen,

negative consequences elsewhere. Any such overview must also be informed by an understanding of

the nation in which the basin is situated. Development within the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin is

influenced by growth and development across Vietnam, as a whole. There is a prevailing notion “for

the greater good of the nation”, which is very influential in decision‐making at the provincial and

national level in this country and is evident, for example, in hydropower development in the Vu Gia‐

Thu Bon River Basin. As such, it is important to have a general understanding of Vietnam now, as well

as prospects for future development and growth.

Vietnam ‐ climate, rainfall and discharge

Vietnam is a tropical country with a high, but variable, rainfall pattern. The annual surface water

discharge is 830 billion m3 of which 57% of occurs in the Cuu Long Basin (Mekong Basin), 16% in the

Red‐Thai Binh Basin and 4% in the Dong Nai Basin. Roughly 60% of the surface water is generated

outside of the country (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

National demography

The population of Vietnam is currently 83 million, which places it as the 5th

most populous nation in

the world. It has a young population, with a high growth rate, which has stabilized in recent years

(Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008). This high growth rate increases pressure on the government

systems and departments responsible for the delivery of important services, such as health,

education, water supply and sanitation, as well as an increasing impact on the environment. In recent

years there have been significant within‐country migration trends. These are important to Vietnam as

a whole, and in the Vu Gia‐Thu Basin, leading to the basin having an increasing urban population

(Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008 and ICEM, 2008).

National growth trends

The Vietnamese economy is growing rapidly with the GDP growing at a rate of about 8.5% in 2008,

compared with the economic growth of Australia (4.0%), China (11.4%) and the United States (2.2%)

(IndexMundi, 2008a; IndexMundi, 2008b; IndexMundi, 2008c; IndexMundi, 2008d). Industry (at 15.7%

of national growth) is a major force driving of this growth. This is placing pressure on the nation’s

water resources through increases in wastes affecting water quality, and abstraction and hydropower

affecting water availability and allocation. Industrial growth is currently limited by electricity supply,

with the electricity sector predicting a growth in demand of 15% a year. Industry uses approximately

50% of all electricity generated (ICEM, 2008 & Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

National policy and planning initiatives

There are a number of national policy and planning initiatives relevant to water and river basin

management. These are summarized in Table 1. Each of these policies has amendments and sub

decrees that influence the finer details of development within Vietnam. They also contain a number of

national policy objectives that are relevant to development and water management in the Vu Gia‐Thu

Bon Basin.



Table 1: National policy and planning initiatives relevant to water and river basin and management (IES, 2008 &

ICEM, 2008)

Planning Program Implications

Socio‐

Economic

Development Planning

(SEDP)

This

program

aims

to

provide

pro‐

poor

policies

and

initiatives

that

encourage

sustainable economic growth and ensure social development and equity.

Decentralisation The Government of Vietnam has begun a process of transferring power on some

matters to the commune (local) level. This is done through a tendering process.

This process raises a number of issues (including a reluctance to transfer power,

communes often require capacity building to increase confidence to handle the

increased power and a general concern from higher levels over accountability once

responsibilities have been delegated to the commune) that will need to be

addressed.

Supervision of

Government Planning

and Implementation

The People’s Councils are responsible for appraising and approving provincial and

local SEDP and budgets. They are also responsible for the implementation of local

SEDP and other development activities.

Affected Peoples Decree No 197/2004/ND‐CP is the framework established to assist affected people

with compensation and resettlement as a result of the State acquisition of land.

Law on Water Resources This law stipulates that water allocation and planning must be done based on plans

that reflect the true potential of the resource from a holistic approach. MoNRE is

responsible for the implementation of this law.

Master Plan IV This is the latest plan outlining development in the electricity sector to satisfy

demand up until 2015.

Quang Nam Provincial

Hydropower

Development Plan

This plan outlines the proposed hydropower schemes within the province and was

approved in 2006. The plan has been updated with a number of new, small‐to‐

medium schemes added to the 8 large and 36 small‐to‐medium schemes already

approved.

Forest Protection and

Development Law 2004

The role of protected areas and special use forests to ensure the conservation of

biodiversity and forest landscape is defined under this law.

Biodiversity Action Plan

2006‐2015

This Plan is in its second incarnation (2006 ‐2015) with a focus on protected areas

as a means to protecting biodiversity.

Government Decree

(120) on River Basin

Management

This Decree outlines management of river basins; allocation of water resources and

inter‐basin transfer of water; international cooperation on river basins; river basin

coordinating organization; and responsibilities for river basin management.

International policy and planning initiatives impacting on national policy

Current water policy in Vietnam is evolving to incorporate international trends in water management,

especially Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). IWRM is defined in Table 2. This is a

slow process, as some reports suggest there are challenges obtaining adequate staffing and building

relevant IWRM knowledge in many of the departments and ministries involved in IWRM. A number of

training and pilot programs to develop capacity in this area are taking place. Water resources and river

basin management in Vietnam are also influenced by policies and frameworks developed by the Asian

Development Bank (ADB) and the World Commission on Dams (WCD) outlined in Table 2. Initiatives to

manage the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin exist within this national and international context.

Table 2: International policy and planning initiatives relevant to water and river basin and management (ADB,

2006a & WCD, 2000)

Implications

ADB Water for All This ADB policy has 7 main principles ‐

• Promotion of national water sector reform

• Promotion of the adoption of integrated water resources management

• The improvement and expansion of water services

• Conservation and improved efficiency of water systems

• Improve regional cooperation, resulting in effective use of shared resources

within and between countries

• Facilitate the exchange of information and experience within the water sector

• Improve the governance of water



World Commission on

Dams Recommendations

In 2000 the WCD released its report on the continuation of the development of

dams and offered a framework to assist in the improvement and sustainability of

dam planning and construction. The framework recommends ‐

• gaining public acceptance

• undertakingcomprehensive options assessment

• addressing existing dams

• actions

to

sustain

rivers

and

livelihoods

• recognizing the entitlements of dam affected peoples and adopting benefit

sharing programs

• ensuring compliance

• sharing rivers for peace, development and security

Integrated Water

Resources Management

(IWRM)

IWRM is the process of managing water resources from a whole of basin

perspective to ensure the long‐term sustainability of the resources for all, including

women and children and the poor. It aims to do this through coordinated

management of ‐

• land and water

• surface and groundwater

• the river, coastal and marine environments

• balancing upstream and downstream interests (ADB, 2006a)

In summary, Vietnam is country with a large population and high economic growth, with a growing

demand for electricity currently limiting the rate of industrial development. The building of

hydropower dams to meet this demand may not always be without adverse consequences and needs

to be carefully considered within a whole‐of ‐river basin, whole‐of ‐ nation context, while at the same

time ensuring that the nation incorporates contemporary thinking in this area and meets its

obligations under international treaties and agreements. The following section provides a

geographical overview of the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin.

Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin – geographical

overview

The Vu Gia‐ Thu Bon River Basin is located in the

central highlands and coastal region of Vietna

encompasses an area of approximately 10,000 km2. The

basin takes up roughly 90% of the Quang Nam Province

and also includes Da Nang City. The two main rivers of

the basin are the Vu Gia and the Thu Bon, which

originate in the highlands near the border with The Lao

Peoples Democratic Republic and flow into the ocean

near the cities of Da Nang and Hoi An (To, 2006 &

ICEM, 2008). There are a number of tributaries within

the basin, the largest of which are the Bung, A Vuong,

Dak Mi and Con Rivers, all of which have been

identified as potential hydropower locations. During

the wet season the two rivers interact through the

Quang Hue and Vinh Dien Rivers forming a braided

river system in the delta. This connection is often

broken in the dry season (To, 2006 & ICEM, 2008).

m and

Water Resources

Surface Water

The Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin (See Map 1) is located

in central Vietnam. It has an abundant, yet highly

variable water resource. The majority of rainfall occurs

in the wet season (September to December), with 70%

of runoff generated during these 3 months. In contrast, during the height of the dry season (February

to March) only 1‐2% of runoff is generated (ICEM, 2008; To, 2006). The basin has one of the longest

Map 1: Map of Vietnam with the Gu Via‐Thu Bon

Basin (Tingsanchali& Nguyen, n.d.)



dry seasons in Vietnam with 9 months of the year receiving only 30% of the rainfall, resulting in severe

water shortages and problems with saline intrusion at the coast (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

The Vu Gia‐Thu Bon Basin accounts for approximately 2.5% of the surface water in Vietnam making it

the 5th

largest (in volume) basin in the country. Rainfall varies spatially across the basin with

approximately 3000‐4000 mm annually occurring in the highlands and approximately 2000 mm

annually on the coast (To, 2006).

Map 2: Map of the Gu Via‐Thu Bon Basin ‐ outlining the proposed intact rivers (ICEM, 2008)

Groundwater

Groundwater in the central highlands is mostly used for domestic and small‐scale production needs.

Most wells are located in the coastal regions and must be at least 15‐30 m deep to obtain adequate

quality water. The majority are hand dug and sometimes cannot safely be dug to the required depth.

These wells typically service the lower income populations providing them with poorer quality water,

particularly during dry times of salt water intrusion (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008 & To, 1996).

In the highlands the aquifers are unconfined and there is a strong interaction between surface and

groundwater. During the dry season as much as 85% of the base surface flows come from the

groundwater reserves (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008). Sustainable groundwater yields in the Vu

Gia‐Thu Bon Basin are currently unknown.

Population

The Vu Gia‐Thu Bon Basin has a population of 1.4 million, which is 2.1% of the national population.

The population density of the basin is 173 people/km2, which falls below the national population

density of 250 people/km2

(Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

Population trends within the basin are in line with the national trends discussed in a previous section,

with a distinct rural to urban as well as lowland to upland migration. These trends are driven by

economic expansion and the increased income potential of the urban centres along with increased

opportunities in the uplands. These have come about, at least in part, due to increased access to the

mountainous regions. Migrants into the upland areas are often from the Kinh majority, predominantly

male, and there on a short term basis. They often have relatively little formal education. These factors

are significant in influencing current and future management and use of upland regions of the basin

(ICEM, 2008).



There are some biases in the data, as many people do not register when they migrate. It has been

estimated that unregistered migrants could make up 10‐15% of the population in some areas.

Understandably, many migrants only stay in a new area while they can make money and then move

seeking new financial opportunities. This makes it difficult to estimate population numbers and trends

accurately, and impacts on the ability of authorities to plan for and provide basic services (ICEM,

2008).

The three main urban centres within the basin are Da Nang, Hoi An and Tam Ky. The highest

population densities are found along the coastal areas of the basin. This means the majority of the

population of the basin is downstream of current and proposed major hydropower developments and

therefore stands to be adversely impacted by any hydropower development, if it negatively impacts

on stream allocations on which they rely (ICEM, 2008).

This Vu Gia‐Thu Bon Basin is prone to natural disasters such as flooding and typhoons. As the majority

of the basin population lives along the coastline, this exposes them to the potentially disastrous

consequences of these events. These result in 23 deaths per million residents a year. This is quite high

compared with other basins in the north and south of the country (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd,

2008).

The population of the basin is predominantly made up of people of Kinh ethnicity, the major ethnic

group of Vietnam. These people mostly live in the coastal and lowlands of the basin. Six other ethnic

groups live in the uplands of the basin. Poverty in the basin is increasing. This goes against the national

trend and is thought to be because of the large, uplands population of minority ethnic groups who

have difficulty accessing resources and services. Mountainous regions are highly unsuited to growing

rice and are generally not irrigated, resulting in the ethnic groups relying on subsistence agriculture

(swidden culture), as well as fishing and hunting. Despite projects targeting the poor around the

country, poverty is only declining slowly amongst the ethnic groups (ICEM, 2008).

Economy

The economy of the basin is based on agriculture, forestry, fishery, industry, mining, tourism,

handicrafts and other services, summarized in Table 3. Economic production in the basin is lower than

that of the national average, with the GPD per capita for Da Nang and Quang Nam, $US 488 and $US

230 respectively, while the national GDP per capita is $US 2792 (IndexMundi, 2008d & ICEM, 2008).

The low economic status of the basin is due in part to an underdeveloped industrial sector and to poor

infrastructure and water shortages in the agriculture sector (ICEM, 2008; To, 2006; & Kellogg Brown &

Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

Table 3: Economic contribution by sector in the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon Basin (ICEM, 2008; Kellogg Brown & Root Pty

Ltd, 2008)

Sector Impact on the economy (USD)

Agriculture 25% of Basin GDP

Industry 37% of Basin GDP

Services 38% of Basin GDP

There has been growth in the economy of the basin over the past decade which has been in part due

to industrial growth ‐ approximately 17.2% per year. Industrial growth is limited by poor infrastructure

and a lack of trained personelle (ICEM, 2008). Hydropower generated within the basin will be added to

the national grid and will most likely be used by other provinces, which require it for economic growth

(ICEM, 2008).

Biodiversity

Vietnam has a high biodiversity especially in the aquatic environment, with 2470 species of fish of

which 268 are found in freshwater (ICEM, 2008). Although fisheries are important within Quang Nam,

providing a major source of protein and contributing to the economy of the basin, there is a paucity of

information about the aquatic biodiversity of Vu Gia‐Thu Bon Basin. This means that there is little

information on the habitat, migration and flow requirements of the aquatic biodiversity that

underpins the economy and livelihoods of a number of the residents in the basin (ICEM, 2008).



There are no commercial fisheries in the uplands where the population supplements its agriculture

subsistence with the collection of frogs, turtles, mussels, shrimp and fish. The coast and estuaries

support a number of important commercial fisheries, which earned roughly $US 26 million in 2005

(ICEM, 2008). Along the coast there are a number of important, subsistence aquaculture farms. While

aquaculture is increasing within the basin, it still only occupies 0.1% area of the basin (ICEM, 2008).

Aquaculture may be introduced into hydropower impoundments to create jobs and new opportunities

(IES, 2008 & ICEM, 2008).

Forestry

Forests in Vietnam are classified into three groups under the guidance of the Forest Protection and

Development Law (2004), which designates forests as either;

• Special Use Forests (SUF) consist of forest reserves and nature reserves such as the Song

Thanh and the Ngoc Linh (KonTum) Nature Reserves in the Gu Via‐Thu Bon Basin

• Protection Forests which are managed by DARD and can be sub‐contracted to households,

community groups and organizations for forest protection

• Production Forests are accessible to households, community groups and organizations for

production (ICEM, 2008).

Nature reserves are the highest level of protection available for forested lands. This prohibits any

development and highlights that the reserves are to be protected from any other human impacts.

Nature Reserves in the basin are managed under the Quang Nam Natural Resource and Biodiversity

Conservation Strategy 2005‐2020. This strategy stipulates the development and implementation of

the management plans which rely on inter‐agency collaboration and the support of international

groups, such as WWF (ICEM, 2008).

Governance

A recent review of the water sector in Vietnam concluded that water management is still dominated

by uni‐disciplinary, single issue management approaches to water. It is beyond the scope of this

document to analyse the consequences of this uni‐disciplinary approach to water management in Viet

Nam. However, these are the practices and ways of thinking which have, at least in part, already

contributed to current water resource management problems facing other countries. IWRM presents

as a possible solution to this dilemma. Attempts to introduce IWRM into Vietnam are still in the

beginning stages and need more coordinated support from all levels of the government of Vietnam

and international donor partners (IDP) (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

The government of Vietnam, along with a number of international donor organizations established the

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) to implement IWRM within Vietnam. A

recent government decree transfers many of the responsibilities that used to fall under the

jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) regarding river basin

management, to MoNRE at a national and international level and DonRE (Department of Natural

Resources and Environment) at a provincial level (Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 2008). There is still

some lack of clarity over the roles and responsibilities of the two ministries and their respective

departments, particularly in relation to IWRM and the establishment of river basin organizations, such

as within the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon basin. MoNRE faces staffing and resourcing problems in meeting this

challenge (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).

There are a number of international, national and local stakeholders involved in the governance and

management of water in the basin. A preliminary analysis of these stakeholders can be seen in Table

4. A stakeholder analysis is an important component of any situation analysis, as it can help to reveal

stakeholders who may have similar or overlapping roles within the basin. This confusion can hamper

efforts to manage the basin sustainably, as it may lead to a shifting of, or inability to share

responsibility for difficult or complex issues, and allow a “business as usual” attitude to prevail. Clarity

in responsibility was recommended by the 2008 water sector review (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd,

2008). The stakeholder analysis technique may also be usefully extended to the donor community, to

allow for coordinated action and clarification of responsibility amongst these external stakeholders.



Management issues in the basin

There are a number of key management issues associated with development in the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon

Basin including ‐ dry season water shortages, saline intrusion of ground water, flooding, irrigation,

hydropower, declining fisheries, forestry issues, water and sanitation issues, climate change, disaster

mitigation, resource extraction, increasing population and increased wastes due to the growing

industry (ICEM, 2008).

Hydropower development

In 2008 the International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM) conducted a Strategic

Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the VG‐TB River basin on behalf of the Asian Development Bank,

and in partnership with the relevant ministries as a capacity developing project. SEAs have become a

legal requirement in Vietnam. However, the capacity to conduct them is in the developing stages

(ICEM, 2008). The SEA criticized the hydropower development plan as being unsustainable and

detrimental to the economy, minority groups and natural environment of the basin. Seven principles

were recommended to guide hydropower development in the basin in a more sustainable and

equitable manner. These are:

• Net provincial economic gain for the basin

• User pays for all direct and indirect environmental and socio‐economic costs

• Multiple use dams

• Safe operations in order to reduce droughts and floods and in preparation for disasters

• Net biodiversity gain

• Net gain in minority well being

• Adoption of the precautionary principle (ICEM, 2008).

These principles are reflected in the recommendations of the SEA ‐ the main recommendation being

the implementation of an Intact Rivers Plan, which aims to leave two tributary rivers free of obstacles

and major water abstraction plans from the mountains to the sea. Map 2 shows the tributary rivers

that are the focus of the Intact Rivers Plan. This plan aims to provide suitable habitat for aquatic,

riparian and riverine species – habitat which is free of major obstacles to migration up and

downstream and with adequate flow and lateral habitats. The authors have been unable to ascertain

from the published literature what proportion the flows of the two rivers contribute to the overall

discharge of water from the basin, the temporal nature of these flows, or whether these rivers contain

biodiversity representative of the basin, rare or threatened species and suitable habitats for these

species. The impact of the Intact Rivers Plan will be hard to determine, as there are no baseline

studies and very little information on the biodiversity of the basin before the construction of

hydropower dams began (ICEM, 2008).

The hydropower development plan for the basin is ambitious and is still being amended post its

approval in 2006, with additional small to medium size hydropower projects proposals being added to

the plan. At the time of writing there were up to 60 projects proposed for the basin, which is

considered to have the 4th largest hydropower potential in Vietnam (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd,

2008 & ICEM, 2008). The Red River basin in northern Vietnam is considered the number one site for

hydropower in Vietnam. In comparison with the rest of the world, Vietnam has a relatively small

hydropower potential. However, by 2025 Vietnam will be one of a few countries to capitalise and fully

develop their hydropower potential, if current trends continue. In the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon Basin, within

the next 16 years, according to current plans, almost 90% of the capacity of the basin will have been

developed (Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd, 2008).



There are eight large scale projects approved for construction in the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon basin, with a

combined installed capacity of 1,100 MW. Table 5 provides a summary of the physical characteristics

of these eight dams and their installed electrical generation capacity. These eight dams constitute

almost 80% of the potential hydropower in the basin (1,300 MW), the remainder of which may be

captured by the small‐to‐medium scale projects that have also been approved. To date, construction

has begun on four of the large dams. These are the A’Vuong, Song Tranh 2, Song Con 2 and the Dak Mi

4 (ICEM, 2008).

Table 5: Summary of the large scale hydropower projects, planned or under construction (ICEM, 2008; ADB,

2006b)

* This proposal may be changed to a cascade of 3 projects with the same installed capacity.

Dam Reservoir Area (Km2) Installed Capacity

(MW)

Full Supply Level

(m)

Dam Height (m)

Song Bung 2 2.9 100 570 97

Song Bung 4 15.8 156 230 110

Song Bung 5 2.1 60 62 37

Dak Mi 1* 4.5 225 820 103

Dak Mi 4 10.5 180 220 105

Song Con 2 ‐ 60 312 56.5

A’Vuong 9.1 210 380 99

Song Tranh 2 21.5 135 170 92

There are signs that the government of Vietnam is willing to comply with the recommendations made

in the SEA and with those from the wider international community such as the World Commission on

Dams (WCD), as they have initiated the Intact Rivers Plan mention previously in this section. They have

also supported a project by the ADB and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to pilot a benefit‐sharing

program (IES, 2008). This project aims to ensure that the communities of the A’Vuong Hydropower

project that is currently being constructed along the A’Vuong River, near the confluence with the Bung

River, two of the main tributaries of the Vu Gia River are fairly compensated for any adverse effects of

building the dam (IES, 2008).

This benefit‐sharing project, if successful, will assist 16,000 people of the Co Tu ethnic minority

(representing approximately 87% of the affected population) and 2,000 people of the Kinh majority in

the affected areas. This project is supported by a number of national policy programs, such as those

encouraging decentralization, grassroots democracy, socio‐economic development planning and pro‐

poor targeting. This program is in the initial stages of implementation, with the first round of revenue

sharing due to occur in 2009. Funds for this initial round will be supplied by WWF and distributed by

Benefit Sharing Council with support from a Fund Management Board, ERAV/MoIT, Institute of Energy

Science, the ADB and WWF. This is an excellent opportunity to ensure the livelihoods of the

communities directly affected by hydropower development are not significantly reduced. This project

has implications for not just hydropower development in Vietnam, but around the world.

River Basin Organizations

The development of River Basin Organizations (RBOs) is gaining ground around Asia and the Pacific,

including Vietnam. Vietnam currently has 3 RBOs in the early stages of development, with one of

these in the Vu Gia‐Thu Bon basin. The ADB is supporting the development of this RBO under the

direction of their new water policy – Water for the Poor . River basin organizations in Vietnam are

responsible for

• Developing river basin plans

• Coordinating the relevant agencies, ministries and sectors responsible for water management

in the basin

• Recommended solutions to disputes over the allocation of water resources

• Coordination

agencies

to

investigate

and

recommend

water

resource

management

options

(Pham, 2004 and Socialist Republic of Vietnam 2008)



The success of the river basin organizations to date has been limited, prompting the reorganization of

river basin organizations, such as that in Vu Gia‐ Thu Bon Basin. The aim of this is to establish RBOs

that are simple, practical and replicable. Many are positive that this new approach will be the key to

the success of RBOs in Vietnam (Howell‐Alipalo, 2009).

The authors have been able to find out only a limited amount about the VG‐TB basin RBO from the

literature. Membership of the RBO consists of representatives of a number of departments with key

responsibilities relevant to water and river basin management in the basin and representatives from

the Provincial People’s Committee. Studies of RBOs in other areas such as Thailand, indicate the

establishment of clear roles and responsibilities and the development of a common goal that is shared

by all who may be affected by the work of the river basin organization (i.e. stakeholders) are key to

their success (Wittayapak and Dearden 1999).

Conclusion

This situation analysis was developed as a resource document for the Keys for Success with Integrated

Water Resource Management training program to be held in Hoi An, Vietnam, 18‐25 February 2009,

on behalf of the Network of River Basin Organizations (NARBO). The training program is located within

the basin and this situation analysis seeks to offer participants an overview of the basin prior to the

training program and incorporated field trips. This document was compiled from a number of sources, and should not be taken as a definitive resource on the basin. The authors have made all attempts to

ensure the accuracy of the information, but acknowledge the difficulty of ensuring this primarily from

outside of the basin, and welcome feedback and comments on this document to improve the accuracy

and usefulness of this situation analysis.



Reference List

ADB 2006a, Promoting Effective Water Management Polices and Practices (Phase 3), Final Report.

Water for the Poor, Partnerships for Action, Vietnam. RRP:VIE:RETA 6123. Asian Development Bank

ADB 2006b, TA 4625‐VIE Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project Phase II, Final Report of TA Advisor . Asian

Development Bank

ADB 2009, Network of Asian River Basin Organizations Workshop on Water Rights Meeting Report ,

viewed 14 January 2009, http://www.adb.org/water/NARBO/2007/workshop‐water‐rights/meeting‐

report.asp.

Howell‐Alipalo 2009, Country Water Action: Viet Nam Next Generation RBO—Preparing for a

Hydropower Future. ADB website: http://www.adb.org/Water/Actions/VIE/next‐gen‐RBO.asp viewed

15 January 2009

ICEM 2008, Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Quang Nam Province Hydropower Plan for the

Vu Gia‐Thu Bon River Basin, Prepared for the ADB MoNRE, MoITT&EVN, Hanoi, Vietnam.

IES 2008, Pilot Testing Benefit Sharing Mechanisms for Local Communities Adversely Affected by Power

Generation Projects in Viet Nam (TA4689 – VIE) Inception Report . Institute of Energy Science, Hanoi,

Vietnam.

IndexMundi 2008a, Australia GDP – Real Growth Rate, viewed 14 January 2009,

http://www.indexmundi.com/australia/gdp_real_growth_rate.html.

IndexMundi 2008b, China GDP – Real Growth Rate, viewed 14 January 2009,

http://www.indexmundi.com/china/gdp_real_growth_rate.html.

IndexMundi 2008c, United States GDP ‐ Real Growth Rate, viewed 14 January 2009,

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