According to the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning's today announcement, flood levels in the upstream Mekong River are forecast to peak at 3 meters in August 2025.
Staff of the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning are advising farmers to harvest their summer-autumn rice crop to reduce losses caused by flooding.
Forecasts indicate that floodwater levels in the Mekong Delta, particularly at Tan Chau and Chau Doc stations, will stay notably elevated throughout July 2025, averaging an increase of 2.5 cm daily. By August 20, it is anticipated that floodwaters at Tan Chau will attain a height of 3 meters. Most rice cultivation areas in the upstream and midstream sections are safeguarded by flood control dikes.
Nevertheless, about 88 dike-enclosed regions are still vulnerable, covering roughly 21,933 hectares, mainly located in An Giang and Dong Thap provinces.
To minimize losses, the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning recommends that localities especially in the upstream Mekong Delta review hazardous dike systems, especially newly constructed ones, and develop timely flood response plans. In areas where the summer-autumn rice crop is ready for harvest, early harvesting should be carried out to mitigate the impact of early-season floods.
At the same time, autumn-winter rice planting should only be carried out in areas with fully secure dike enclosures. Planting in areas with inadequate dike elevation is discouraged. For low-lying irrigation sub-regions along the coastal provinces of Ca Mau, An Giang, and Can Tho City, close monitoring of rainfall and tidal developments is essential. Timely drainage operations should be prepared, along with pumping solutions to address potential waterlogging.
Currently, farmers in the Mekong Delta have harvested approximately 600,000 hectares of the 1.46 million hectares designated for summer-autumn rice. At the same time, more than 300,000 hectares of the targeted 691,000 hectares for autumn-winter rice have been planted.
