Article by Van Le, AMPERES
The recent revision of Vietnam’s Water Resources Law has re-ignited interest in River Basin Organisations (RBOs). However, whilst considered promising for advancing integrated water resources management, the cross-cutting nature of RBOs has meant that effective implementation has been a major challenge.
Vietnam’s efforts to establish RBOs span several decades. Since the introduction of the 1998 Law on Water Resources, and more recently the 2023 revision, the country has been piloting and exploring how RBOs could contribute towards improved water management.
Reflecting the long-term partnership between Vietnam and Australia in fostering IWRM, the Australian Water Partnership (AWP) has been collaborating with the Department of Water Resources Management of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (DWRM-MONRE) in the formulation and implementation of Vietnam’s Water Resources Law. A study visit to Australia in December 2024 supported this pathway.
Vietnam’s efforts to enhance integrated water management through river basin organisations
The concept of RBOs in Vietnam emerged with the 1998 Law on Water Resources (the Law), which laid the initial framework for IWRM and spurred the formation of several RBOs. However, the specific functions, mandates and resource allocation for RBOs were not clearly defined until December 2008.
A significant step forward occurred in 2012 with the revision of the Law. This revision introduced clearer mandates for different stakeholders in coordinating and overseeing water resource activities. Despite this advancement, the lack of detailed regulations governing the establishment and operation of RBOs hindered their effectiveness. Many RBOs struggled to fulfil their role as coordinators of stakeholders involved in river basin management.
The latest revision of the Law on Water Resources, taking effect since July 2024, seeks to address these challenges. This updated legislation provides clearer guidance on RBO responsibilities and introduces a more detailed operational framework, strengthening the role of RBOs by better defining their roles, structures, and operational rules.
Despite this progress, RBOs in Vietnam continue to face significant challenges. They often lack the necessary authority to make decisions with substantial impact on river basin management, struggle with inadequate resources, and face persistent issues in stakeholder coordination. Furthermore, public involvement remains limited and reliable data on water resources, land use, and environmental conditions are often unavailable.
Sharing river basin management knowledge
Recently, DWRM-MONRE was tasked with developing detailed guidance for the effective establishment and operation of RBOs. This initiative underscores Vietnam’s commitment to address pressing water challenges such as water scarcity and river deterioration while advancing a systematic, sustainable approach to water management in the face of climate change. To support DWRM in this endeavour, a study visit to Australia was organised by AWP and implemented by AMPERES and Alluvium Group in December 2024.
The study visit provided a knowledge-exchange platform between the two countries fostering IWRM through effectively functioning RBOs. High-level government officials in the Vietnamese water sector met with Australian Government counterparts to share experiences including Vietnam’s water governance framework and Australian Government management of the Murray-Darling Basin, as well as the role of the National Water Initiative in addressing critical challenges such as the Millennium Drought and increasing water scarcity.
Another key area of discussion was MDBA’s approach to allocating water resources in a fair and equitable manner across a diverse range of users—urban, agricultural, and environmental—while balancing competing needs.
The study visit also offered Vietnamese delegates hands-on experience with stormwater harvesting schemes for environmental flow protection, including the Paramatta River Restoration project and Sydney Park Wetlands. These field visits highlighted the significance of adopting holistic water governance strategies that harmonise ecological sustainability with socio-economic priorities, a reminder for all policymakers, especially in the face of environmental deterioration and turbulent climate change.
Building on these knowledge-sharing activities, a roadmap for the effective establishment of RBOs will be co-developed, outlining critical steps toward achieving sustainable river basin management in Vietnam.
Featured image: Learning about storm water harvesting at Sydney Water – Credit: AMPERES