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Saigon River floodplain, Binh Duong, Vietnam
Viet Nam, Binh Duong Province
The Saigon River is a major river in southern Vietnam, approximately 256 km long. It originates near Phum Daung in southeastern Cambodia and flows through the provinces of Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, and Binh Duong. Passing through Ho Chi Minh City, it eventually merges with the Đong Nai River at the Nha Be junction before flowing into the South China Sea.
The river regularly floods nearby land, forming floodplains along its course. Periodic flooding brings nutrient-rich sediments and organic matter, leading to an increase in plankton, insects, and other food sources. These areas are home to a wide range of fish species, including Dermogenys siamensis, my favorite fish.
- Submitted by
- Nguyen Minh Tri
- Approved by
- Heiko Blessin, Heok Hee Ng & Greg Martin
- GPS
- 10.9245119, 106.6821289
- Geographical region
- Southeastern Asia
- Drainage Basin
- River catchment
- Saigon
- Water body type
- Wetland
- Water body name
- Floodplain
- Water body part
- Water body course
- Water body: tributary of
- Tributary name
Videos above and below water
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Water Chemistry
Water information
- Water type
- fresh-water
- Water color
- White water
- Water transparency
- Low
- Concentration of sediments
- High
- Water temperature
- 28 °C
- Water flow/curent
- Slow
Chemical parameters
- pH
- 7.0
- Conductivity
- GH
- 232 mg/l
- dGH
- KH
- 143 mg/l
- dKH
- Dissolved Oxygen
Substrate in nature
- Sand
- None
- Pebble/Gravel
- None
- Stone
- None
- Stone form
- Silt/Mud
- Orange
- Leaves
- Many
- Driftwood
- Many
- Submerged terrestrial vegetation
- Yes
Aquatic Biotope
- Date of collecting
- 26 February, 2024
- Collecting area
- Flooded area
- Water depth
- 0,2m
- Air temperature
- 28 °C
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
Environment
- Environment
- Affected by human activity
- Affected by human activity
- Agriculture
- Agriculture
- Advanced
- Surrounding area
Binh Duong is located in southern Vietnam which belongs to tropical monsoon climate. Therefore, it is warm all year round with two distinct seasons, the rainy season (May to October) and the dry season (November to April). The rainy season is characterized by a significant amount of precipitation, whereas during dry season there is minimal rainfall. The average annual temperature is 27 °C, average annual precipitation is approximately 1960mm.
The area that I chose to recreate is a relatively shady place with canopy layers of tall trees along the edges that allow very little direct sunlight to pass, effectively preventing overheating so it’s usually cooler here. The lower floor of the biotope is surrounde
- Underwater landscape
This is a whitewater biotope, so the water here is quite murky, light brown, and has poor visibility, especially in the deeper sections (30-70cm). A large number of tree roots, fallen branches,coconut shells and dead leaves are scattered throughout the muddy bottom. Sunlight shines through the gaps in the canopy, creating beautiful spotlight effects in the shallow water.
Almost no aquatic plants are present here due to the lack of direct sunlight and the murky water. The fish that live here are small, almost transparent, and very timid, making it difficult to get a clear photo of them. The fauna and flora lists are based on my own observations, so there may be more species in the biotope that are not listed.
Fishlist:
- Dermogenys pusilla (Hemiramphidae)
- Trichopsis vittata (Osphronemidae)
- Oryzias minutillus (Adrianichthyidae)
- Cyprinus carpio (Cyprinidae) – introduced
- Aplocheilus panchax (Aplocheilidae)
- Clarias macrocephalus (Clariidae)
- Mastacembelus favus (Mastacembelidae)
- Anabas testudineus (Anabantidae)
- Oreochromis mossambicus (Cichlidae) – introduced
Molluscs:
- Pila polita (Ampullariidae)
- Filopaludina sumatrensis (Viviparidae)
- Melanoides tuberculata (Thiaridae)
- Radix rubiginosa (Lymnaeidae)
Crustacean list:
- Somanniathelphusa sinensis (Gecarcinucidae)
- Caridina flavilineata (Atyidae)
Wetland plants:
- Murdannia keisak (Commelinaceae)
- Colocasia esculenta (Araceae)
Terrestial plants:
- Urochloa distachyos (Poaceae)
- Digitaria ciliaris (Poaceae)
- Cyrtomium falcatum (Polypodiaceae)
- Caryota mitis (Arecaceae)
- Barringtonia acutangula (Lecythidaceae)
- Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae)
- Threats to ecology
The river and its surrounding wetlands face multiple threats that impact its ecology. Some of the threats include:
- Pollution: Uneducated people dumping trash in random places cause severe environmental issues. The trash, carried by wind or floodwaters, eventually contaminates river water, smothers aquatic habitats, chokes or strangles fish and birds, and destroys breeding grounds and shelters for various wildlife. Agricultural runoff, Factories and industrial plants discharge untreated treated wastewater into the river, polluting the water and harming aquatic life.
- Habitat loss: Urban development along the Saigon River’s banks contributes to habitat loss. Wetlands and natural riparian zones have been replaced by infrastructure and residential areas.
- Overfishing: Intensive fishing activities and sometimes destructive fishing methods like electrofishing (which is illegal) are used, threatening the biodiversity of the Saigon River by endangering various fish species and other aquatic organisms.
- Invasive species: People may release harmful non-native species for religious purposes or due to accidental release, which can outcompete or prey on native species, leading to declines in biodiversity.
Riparian zone
- Trees near the aquatic habitat
-
Many -
Comment by the expert
Heiko Blessin:
Heok Hee Ng: Accurate description of habitat. I took off half a point because one sentence is incomplete.
Greg Martin: Well researched.
