Assessment of human impacts on the surface water quality in the Red River delta in 2020

Abstract

The Red River delta, the second-largest rice bowl in Vietnam and a key economic region in the North, is under significant pressure due to its water environment. To assess the impact of human activities on surface water quality, physicochemical parameters were determined at 5 sampling points along the Red River system and its tributaries. Water samples were diligently collected on a monthly basis between January and December 2020. The results reveal that upstream sampling points showed signs of pollution in a few months of the year. However, most of the water samples collected at the downstream are within the acceptable ranges of the National Technical Regulations on surface water quality for irrigation, navigation, and other purposes (QCVN 08:2015, column B1). This study not only provides data for further research on the annual changes of physicochemical variables of surface water in the Red River system but also serves as a scientific basis for more effective water management in Vietnam.