Mekong Delta Living Lab Research Team Conducted Reconnaissance Survey for Coastal Monitoring Sites

From 21–23 January 2026, the Mekong Delta Living Lab research team carried out a reconnaissance survey across coastal areas of Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, and Ca Mau Provinces in preparation for the 2026 field monitoring campaign.

The survey aimed to identify suitable monitoring locations, assess site accessibility, evaluate logistics and safety conditions, and determine the feasibility of deploying long-term monitoring equipment.

During the field campaign, researchers investigated several candidate sites, including Hoa Binh, Bac Lieu Wind Farm, Lai Hoa, Vinh Chau, and the Dai Ngai Hydrological Station. The team conducted field observations, documented mangrove conditions, analyzed historical shoreline changes using satellite imagery, and evaluated potential locations for installing monitoring instruments such as Wave Buoys, AWAC, pressure sensors, water-level loggers, RTK surveys, and sediment sampling equipment.

Based on the reconnaissance results, two representative cross-shore transects in Vinh Chau were selected for the upcoming monitoring campaign, representing both degraded and healthy mangrove ecosystems. These sites will be used to compare waves, currents, water levels, sediment transport, and coastal morphological processes under contrasting mangrove conditions.

The reconnaissance survey provides an important scientific and technical foundation for the installation of monitoring equipment and the implementation of the project's upcoming field measurements.