Speaking at the opening, Mr. Chu Pham Ngoc Hien - Chairman of the Vietnam Water and Environment Association, said that the Central - Central Highlands region is an area with a particularly important position in terms of ecology, economy and defense - security, possessing a lot of potential in surface water, groundwater and hydropower. However, the region is also facing a series of challenges such as drought, water shortage, saltwater intrusion, water source pollution and unsynchronized irrigation infrastructure. Therefore, to develop sustainably, it is necessary to be proactive in water resources; to transition to green, water management must be linked to energy, environment and technological innovation.
Agreeing with this view, Mr. Nguyen Thien Van - Vice Chairman of Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee affirmed that water resources play a particularly important role in socio-economic development, food security and energy of the Central - Central Highlands region, which is frequently affected by climate change and prolonged drought. According to provincial leaders, Dak Lak currently has more than 1,200 irrigation works serving production and people's livelihoods, but is still facing uneven water distribution, depletion of groundwater and water pollution.
At the conference, many experts pointed out the paradoxes and major challenges to water resources in the Central - Central Highlands region. In the keynote report, Prof. Pham Quy Nhan - Vice President of the Vietnam Water and Environment Association said that this region possesses many large river basins such as Vu Gia - Thu Bon, Tra Khuc, Ba, Se San, Srepok and Dong Nai, along with great underground water potential in the basalt layers. However, about 60–80% of water is concentrated in the rainy season, while the dry season lasts from 6–8 months, causing many localities to frequently fall into serious water shortages.
According to studies published at the conference, water demand in the region is increasing very rapidly due to the development of agriculture, industry, urban areas and tourism. The Central Highlands alone currently has about 700 thousand hectares of coffee with an irrigation demand of nearly 2 billion m3 of water per dry season. It is forecast that by 2050, the region's dry season water demand may increase to about 73.4 billion m3/year. Meanwhile, climate change makes droughts and natural disasters increasingly extreme.
Delegates are also particularly concerned about the situation of excessive underground water exploitation, deforestation at headwaters and water pollution due to domestic, industrial, tourism and agricultural chemical wastewater. According to experts, without synchronous solutions, the risk of water security in the Central - Central Highlands region will become increasingly serious.
Representatives of the National Center for Water Resources Planning and Research said that drought and water shortage are no longer a temporary issue but have become a long-term challenge for the region. In the dry season of 2024 alone, Dak Lak province had more than 27,000 hectares of crops affected by drought, causing damage of more than 155 billion VND.
Faced with this situation, experts propose many key groups of solutions such as improving drought forecasting and early warning capacity; strengthening water source inventory; investing in reservoir systems, dams and water regulation works; promoting water saving use; promoting digital transformation in water resource management and effectively implementing the Law on Water Resources in 2023.
Notably, many presentations at the conference focused on the trend of integrating water resources with green energy and circular economy. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duong Hong Son - Institute of Water Resources Science said that the Central Highlands is facing the risk of a shortage of about 5.5 billion m3 of water per year by 2030 if there are no synchronous solutions. According to him, it is necessary to develop a multi-scale water storage system, from large reservoirs to household pond and lake models, while expanding water-saving irrigation models and operating inter-reservoirs more effectively.
Meanwhile, Dr. Le Thi Mai Van - Institute of Water Resources Planning emphasized the requirement to shift from the traditional irrigation management model to the "green irrigation" model based on digital platforms and circular economy. According to her, the agricultural sector currently uses about 82% of the total water volume but the efficiency of use is still low, while many river and irrigation systems are seriously polluted. Technologies such as IoT, AI, Digital Twin or smart decision-making support systems will help monitor and optimize water source operation in real time.
Experts believe that it is necessary to build a comprehensive exploitation strategy towards a green economy, combining ecotourism, resorts and health care to promote the effectiveness of famous mineral water sources such as Vinh Hao, Hoi Van, Thach Bich or Danh Thanh. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen water source protection and promulgate sustainable exploitation standards.
Concluding the workshop, delegates unanimously agreed that water resources are not only a factor ensuring social security but also a strategic driving force for green development and sustainable growth of the Central - Central Highlands region. The recommendations, solutions and models shared at the forum will be an important basis for perfecting water resource management policies, while promoting cooperation between the State, scientists and businesses in the coming period.
