HCMC – Provinces in the Mekong Delta have been requested to maximize freshwater storage as salinity intrusion is projected to spike in early April before gradually receding toward the weekend.
The 4‰ salinity boundary is expected to penetrate 45-52km deep into the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rivers, and 20-45 km across other major river branches during the April 1-10 period, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
While the current salinity levels remain lower than in April last year, experts warn that the situation is dependent on upstream flows from the Mekong River and tidal patterns.
High-salinity waves are expected to concentrate between April 1-4 and April 18-21. In response, authorities are advising farmers to store freshwater during low tides and limit irrigation to mitigate agricultural losses.
Residents are advised to shift to salt-tolerant crop varieties and adjust livestock cycles to align with current salinity trends. For high-value fruit orchards with low salt tolerance, testing water salinity levels before irrigation is mandatory.
Alongside storage and conservation efforts, the installation of saltwater filtration systems is being promoted as a direct solution to treat dissolved salts, providing safe water for both domestic use and sensitive crops.
