According to the Cau Ke branch of the Irrigation Management Enterprise in Vinh Long province, salinity levels at the Can Chong sluice gate exceeded 1 part per thousand in early January 2026. Located about 40 km from the sea, the gate signals that saline water has begun to affect inland farming areas..
Saltwater intrusion has become an increasingly pressing challenge the Mekong Delta region (Photo: Nguyen Hanh)
In response, irrigation authorities have adjusted operations to block saltwater and retain freshwater, regulating sluice gates including My Van, Rach Rum, Bong Bot and Tan Dinh under flexible inflow and outflow plans to increase storage.
Salinity at Can Chong has since eased to about 0.4 parts per thousand, but the gate remains closed as officials continue to closely monitor irrigation works to safeguard water supplies.
Vinh Long authorities have called for more efficient operation of disaster-prevention infrastructure, improved canal flows and flexible sluice and pumping schedules, with priority given to water for agriculture and daily use.
The Southern Institute of Water Resources Research said dry-season river flows to the Mekong Delta typically fall rapidly, increasing salinity. However, higher-than-average upstream inflows in January 2026 have so far helped keep saltwater intrusion under control.
Along coastal areas, the 4 g per litre salinity front in early January was recorded 30 to 35 km from river mouths. While water supplies remain adequate for now, experts warned that conditions could worsen later in the dry season.
Specialists cautioned that abnormal saltwater intrusion this year could disrupt water supplies and production in coastal irrigation systems, as river flows may fluctuate depending on upstream hydropower operations.
Coastal localities have been urged to store freshwater while conditions allow, particularly in fruit-growing areas of Vinh Long and Can Tho, and to operate salinity-control works effectively to protect winter-spring crops.
