Comprehensive approach to sustainable groundwater management in semi-arid Ninh Thuan plain, Vietnam

• Published in: Groundwater for sustainable development 2023-11, Vol.23, p.101031, Article 101031
• Main Authors: Pham, Quy-Nhan, Nguyen, The-Chuyen, Ta, Thi-Thoang, Tran, Thanh-Le
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aquifers; basins; climate change; coastal plains; coasts; groundwater; groundwater extraction; hydrologic models; population density; saltwater intrusion; sea level; semiarid zones; socioeconomic development; sustainable development; Vietnam; water management; water table
• ISSN: 2352-801X; 2352-801X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2023.101031

Vietnam is a country with a long coastline and a high population density residing in the coastal plains. The largest dry area in Vietnam, the coastal plain of Ninh Thuan province, always lacks water in the first dry months of the year (Jan., Feb., Mar., and Apr.). Groundwater is an extremely valuable resource for supplies at this time. Therefore, the objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive approach to sustainable groundwater management in this semi-arid region. This approach is not only mitigating the negative impacts of factors such as climate change, sea level rise, and socio-economic development but also suggesting measures for management of aquifer recharge. A groundwater model for a 3-layer system with variable density flow SEAWAT is built to predict the impacts of climate change and sea level rise without a change in groundwater abstraction. This model helps to understand the trend of salt intrusion and lowering groundwater level in the study area. Afterwards, scenarios with different ground water abstraction and groundwater development such as ground dam, infiltration basin have been set up to meet the demands of socio-economic development in the future. Predicted results will show the impacts of the groundwater systems in the area such as groundwater level change, and saltwater intrusion. Controlled groundwater abstraction and some measures of groundwater development such as infiltration basin, underground dam would allow for an increase of up to 50000m³/day in the year 2050 without negative impacts on the aquifer system.