Vietnam Confronts Flood Outlet Blockage at Dầu Tiếng Lake and Growing Sand Shortage

Dầu Tiếng Lake, Vietnam's largest reservoir with a design capacity of over 1.58 billion m³, supplies water and flood control for millions in the Southeast region. Decades of encroachment, land‑filling and construction within its flood‑outlet zone have narrowed the channel, limiting the lake's ability to release water safely. During high‑flow releases of up to 400 m³/s, water can rise a metre, flooding nearby businesses such as a restaurant run by Nguyen Chi Tam, who must move furniture and suspend service when the water rises.

At the same time, the Ministry of Construction reports a severe shortage of river sand in the Mekong Delta (ĐBSCL), a key material for concrete and road projects. By 2026, ongoing projects lack more than 6 million m³ of stone and 1.8 million m³ of sand, with future demand projected to rise sharply. Over‑extraction and dam‑trapped sediments have depleted river‑sand reserves, threatening ecological balance and forcing reliance on costly marine sand. The ministry proposes alternative sourcing and management measures to address the looming shortfall.