Policy implications of managing reservoir water for multiple uses of irrigation and fisheries in southeast Vietnam

We introduce a dynamic-optimization model developed to determine the trade-offs in the economic value between
managing reservoir water for irrigation and for fisheries. The policy implications of managing reservoir water for
multiple uses of irrigation and fisheries in Vietnam are investigated. Results indicate that dominantly managing
reservoir water for irrigation is more lucrative than for fisheries. To improve the economic performance of managing
reservoir water for multiple uses, three policies are introduced: (1) switching crops, (2) extending irrigation area, and
(3) redistributing income. The results also indicate that, given the dominant use of water for irrigation, income can be
diverted from rice production to fisheries without much reduction in rice-production income. The method used in this
study could be applied to manage other reservoirs in Asian countries for multiple uses where reservoir water is often
used for fisheries as a secondary purpose.