CMDA CTA Bob Bower joined IUCN’s Andrew Wyatt and CMDA National Coordinator Minh Le Viet on a field tour of Tràm Chim National Park this October, highlighting how restored natural flood regimes are strengthening both biodiversity and groundwater sustainability in the Mekong Delta.

The CMDA Project Management Unit (PMU)—including IUCN and the Cambodian and Vietnamese National PMUs—participated in IWC10 in Uruguay, where they met with IGRAC, UNESCO, and WWAP, alongside other GEF International Waters projects. The gathering provided a unique opportunity to share regional experiences, strengthen collaboration, and connect the CMDA project to global networks advancing transboundary groundwater governance.

Strengthening Water Governance in Vietnam: Advancing Sustainable Groundwater Management in Vietnam

In early August 2024, the CMDA RPMU team visited Tra Vinh Province with partners from the SALT Lab at Tra Vinh University to explore innovative solutions linking groundwater sustainability, saline intrusion management, and on-farm ecotourism. The field visit highlighted practical water storage and harvesting systems, hydroponic farming, and large-scale sluice gates, reinforcing the importance of applied research and community action for building resilience in the Mekong Delta.

The CMDA project team joined a field trip to the Cần Giờ Biosphere Reserve to examine groundwater quality and geochemical challenges in the Mekong Delta, led by Dr. Ha Quang Khai, CMDA Technical Leader.

On 23 November 2023, the governments of Cambodia and Viet Nam, together with IUCN and FAO, formally signed the Project Document (PRODOC) to launch the Cambodia–Mekong River Delta Aquifer (CMDA) project, marking the start of a landmark transboundary groundwater initiative.