Asian Deltas

This project aimed to address the most widespread problem linked to groundwater exploitation in heavily populated coastal aquifers, namely that of saltwater intrusion. Uncontrolled exploration of such groundwater bodies by large water users leads to groundwater quality problems that directly affect domestic supply and crop productivity. Within this project, guidelines for groundwater exploitation and managed aquifer recharge were developed for the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Great Maputo Aquifer in Mozambique. Project outcomes were expected to have major impacts through shifts towards more sustainable pumping practices of the coastal aquifers, optimized participatory groundwater salinity monitoring, information-based groundwater resources management, and facilitated adoption of measures that, through their implementation, will contribute to improving water security and related socio-economic conditions.

Project partners: Eduardo Mondlane University; IIA; Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT); Tianjin Center of CGS; DWRPIS; DONRE, DARD, CWSRS, TVU, DIFSP, HHCCLD - ARA Sul; CRA; WRDWMG; FIPAG; VEI; ODI; AFORAMO

This project was implemented from 2016 until 2022.

The objective of this project was to archive sustainable and effective land and water governance to not only increase aqua-agricultural production but also maximize flood retention capacity of the floodplains to maintain ecosystem service and exploiting benefits from floodwaters. This project thereby aimed to provide strong scientific evidence for decision makers in adopting suitable flood-based farming system for floodplain preservation and restoration in the Mekong delta (Vietnam and Cambodia). The aim was to benefit not only the local communities, but also the promotion of nature-based agriculture production in the Lower Mekong. The project, a south-south collaboration project was led by Vietnam National University in collaboration with the University of Phnom Penh amongst others. 

Project partners: Center of Water Management and Climate Change (WACC);  Project lead; An Giang University; Australian National; University; IHE Delft; Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUP); AMPERES - Australia Mekong Partnership for Environmental Resources and Energy Systems; Local officers from An Giang, Dong Thap, and Long An provinces.

This project was implemented from 2019 until 2021.

The groundwater levels in the Ganges basin are falling down sharply because of climate change and mismanagement of water, and is affecting rural communities. Village wells are running dry, and women are forced to go far distances to fetch water, leading to social and economic stress and loss of school time for girls. By constructing groundwater recharge structures in a decentralized approach, the villages can easily store the rainwater and allow it to recharge the groundwater. The GRACERS project, a south-south research collaboration project led by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, aimed to produce feasibility maps for decentralized groundwater recharge in the Ganges basin in India and Bangladesh that will enable storing of monsoon rainfall for dry season water access. These maps strongly benefit projects currently undertaken by the Governments of India and Bangladesh.

Project partners: Indian Institute of Technology (lead); IHE Delft; N.M. Sadguru Foundation; National Institute of Hydrology (GIH) India; Institute of Water Modelling Bangladesh 

This project was implemented from 2019 until 2023. For more information, contact project leader Prof. Pennan Chinnasamy, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay ([email protected]) 

The project aimed to bring the water scientists (from multiple disciplines) and media on one platform to facilitate water diplomacy in the Brahmaputra Basin. It engaged with key media personnel at local, national and regional levels to discuss various aspects of the basin. The media-science dialogues play a crucial role in building capacity and disseminating accurate information among the stakeholders for well informed and responsible reporting. It reflects on the broader question toward shared water issue of “are media and science part of the problem or part of the solution?”.  The outcomes are in the form of media reports, video stories and podcasts. Social media has been utilized to share information with the stakeholders regarding upcoming events and updates regarding the project. A podcast series ‘Voices of Brahmaputra’ was produced to understand and communicate local communities’ association with the river.

Project partners: IITG; IHE Delft; The Thirdpole; Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS); Jagrata Juba Shangha (JJS)

This project was implemented from 2020 until 2022. Learn more by visiting the project website

Urbanising deltas worldwide face many threats to water and food security and sustainable development. Changes and innovations in water and land use are required to prepare deltas for the future. There is an increasing interest in delta plans that outline strategic and innovative choices for long-term delta developments. Strategic delta planning is enthusiastically and positively promoted, but also criticised and questioned. The Strategic Delta Planning project (2014-2019) aimed to better understand the dynamics of delta planning. More specifically, the project focussed on the role of strategic delta planning processes in enabling consent among key stakeholders over strategic choices and innovative solutions, and explored if consent is sufficiently stable to allow for implementation. The project team studied the Bangladesh Delta Plan, the Mekong Delta Plan in Vietnam and the Dutch Delta Plan, while taking into account the different contexts of politics, planning, and culture. They took a reflective approach, by placing delta planning, innovation and change in a scientific context. Through their research they provided lessons learned to the delta (planning) community on planning  approaches and tools, and encouraged discussion amongst delta communities.

For a selection of the project highlights with references to underlying studies and background materials, visit the project website. 

Additionally, team member prof. dr. Dilip Datta from Khulna University and his research team created a documentary explaining the beauty and complexities of tidal river management (TRM) for people and river systems in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. You can watch the documentary here. 

The Strategic delta planning project was led by IHE Delft with partners from Bangladesh, Vietnam and The Netherlands.  The project was funded under the Urbanising Delta’s of the World programme part of NWO, and co-funded by DUPC2. The project was implemented from 2014 until 2019. For more information, contact Wim Douven at IHE Delft: [email protected]