THE SITE | NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Climate

 

  • Tropical monsoon climate with 2 seasons: Dry Season (December to April) and Rainy Season (May to November)
  • Hours of sun vary from 6 (September) to 9 (April)
  • Average daily temperature is 27 degrees celsius; highest daily temperature is 36 degrees celsius; lowest daily temperature is 24 degrees celsius
  • Average daily humidity is 70-80%
  • Average annual rainfall is 1,949mm
  • Rainfall in the rainy season is approximately 85% of the annual total; heaviest rain is in June and September
  • Rainfall is intense, on average 0.8 - 1.5 mm/minute
  • Prevailing wind direction is southeast to northwest in the dry season and southwest to northeast in the rainy season, at 3-4 meters/second

 

 

 

Hydrology

  • The Saigon River bed elevation around Thu Thiem varies from 12 to 24m
  • The Saigon River width around Thu Thiem varies from 270m to over 300m
  • Two tidal regimes per day
  • Typical low tide elevation of -0.40 meters
  • Typical high tide elevation of +1.10 meters
  • Extreme low tide elevation of -2.30 meters (October to January)
  • Extreme high tide elevation of +1.30 meters (June to July)
  • Thu Thiem lies between 0.5 and +1.5 meters above sea level
  • Thu Thiem has approximately 8.5 kilometers of river frontage
  • The 50-year flood elevation is +1.48 meters
  • The 100-year flood elevation is +1.54 meters

 

Existing Land and Landscape

  • The site is presently dissected with a lacelike network of canals, varying in depth and width
  • Vegetation is varied, much of the landscape has been altered by fishing, agriculture, and settlement development activities
  • Soil conditions are comparatively homogenous alluvia
  • Lower section of Saigon River experiencing pollution from upstream industrial development and local runoff
  • Sedimentation is decreasing due to construction of upstream dams
  • The Thu Thiem riverbank is composed of ocean and river deposits and is characterized by soft, loose, and poor load bearing soils
  • Bank erosion occurs at 0.1 to 0.3 meters per year, especially at the river bends, bridge piers, and channels
  • River is heavily used by commercial boat traffic, barges, and private fishing boats