- SOLICITATION NUMBER: 0002017189
- INSTITUTION: IBRD/IDA , IFC , MIGA , ICSID
- ASSIGNMENT LOCATION: Viet Nam
- ISSUE DATE AND TIME: Jul 01,2025 05:07
- CLOSING DATE AND TIME: Jul 14,2025 23:59
1. Background and aim of the consultancyThe Mekong Delta is an important agricultural region for Vietnam; contributing to nearly 70% of exported aquaculture products and approximately 90% of exported rice. The delta is also home to 22% of Vietnam’s population; most of which live in rural areas and are highly dependent upon rice; fruit; or shrimp farming for their livelihoods. The Mekong Delta; as all deltas in the world; was created and is maintained by the natural sediment delivery and effective distribution from the upstream river system to the deltaic plains. Without a sustainable influx of sediment to deltaic systems; the surface level and coast line of the delta; can’t keep up with the relative sea level rise; increasing flood risks and erosion. In the Mekong system; research shows that the sediment delivery to the delta has been reducing due to upstream interventions; such as dams; reservoirs and diversions; as well as human modifications within the delta itself. Recent science has shown a reduction in sediment delivery to the delta by up to 60-85% compared to pre-dam construction levels; putting the fundamental sustainability of the delta at risk. Subsidence induced by groundwater extraction and riverbed sand mining has resulted in increased saline intrusion; extended inundation; coastal and riverbank erosion; and the degradation of natural assets. The issue of sediment management has therefore been viewed as critical for the very existence of the delta.In addition to the overall reduction of sediment delivery to and distribution within the delta; vast human-made modifications in the delta (i.e.; canals; dikes; saltwater dams; and other hydraulic interventions) have been put in place over the last few decades to boost socio-economic growth; particularly agricultural production. The main purpose of these infrastructure systems is to distribute and regulate water across the delta. However; in some areas; these interventions have caused a reduction in sediment transport that further exacerbates erosion challenges; as well as excessive sediment deposition that reduces a system’s capacity to discharge water; leading to increased flood risks and hampering inland waterway transportation in the delta. Dredging; which centres around the targeted extraction of sediment to alleviate the sedimentation problem (including disposal of dredged materials) and enable water transport; become a regionwide; intensive and recurrent activity. However; dredging of canals in the Mekong Delta has encountered many difficulties; such as outdated technologies and dredging equipment; sub-optimal design of dredging activities and problems regarding the deposition of dredged material; as land compensation costs have increased significantly. Often; the dredged spoil is dumped right next to the canal; which then flows back into the canal again during the rainy season. Poor management of the dredged materials causes negative impacts on the environment and on human health. These two; opposing; sediment-related challenges of too much or too little sediment; are highly heterogenous and require spatially explicit management approaches.The growing trend of sediment deficit and poor sediment management coupled with climate change and sea-level rise result in widespread erosion along riverbanks and coastal areas. Coastal and river erosion occurs at many locations in the Mekong Delta and is widely recognized as a serious hazard. More than 50% of the Mekong Delta’s coastline is exposed to erosion. Many local solutions are already implemented with varying results. However; an all-compassing strategy for sediment and erosion management for the entire delta does not yet exist. For more than two decades; research has been executed that provide valuable new knowledge and data to support such a strategy. Nevertheless; several gaps in knowledge; data; models and monitoring programs exist; as were identified in a gap assessment executed by the World Bank. The World Bank assessment was based on a comprehensive review of 49 river and coastal erosion studies that were executed in the past 20 years in the Mekong Delta by governmental agencies and research institutes; as well as development partners (DPs). Many studies focused on specific locations or provinces in the region only. Most of them used some kind of modelling; in combination with data acquisition surveys; remote sensing images; etc. However; the data records used are often limited in time and space. Process understanding of the key physical processes in general is good; except for non-traditional solutions (such as nature-based solutions; sand nourishments etc.) mostly because there is hardly any experience on these in Viet Nam. Erosion forecasting; early warning systems and impact assessment of solutions are rather poorly developed. Most of the implemented solutions (such as breakwaters along the coast) are not monitored; so that their effectiveness is not measured. Canal dynamics is poorly
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