The Dam River spans 200 ha and has an average depth of 1.6 m. The drainage basin around the river spans around 650 ha and is located 3 km to the northeast of Tam Ky City in the central province of Quang Nam. The river is 40 km south of Hoi An.
The area is home to the Ky Anh-Bai Say tunnel relic site, which Quang Nam plans to transform into a large, protected park. The province is working with conservation organizations to preserve the river's ecosystems.
The Dam River is connected with the Ban Thach River as the city's largest detention basin, which stores water during flood seasons and provides water when it's dry. Water levels change with the tides every day.
During wartime, the area used to be a bog of reeds, providing cover for freedom fighters and civilian fleeing U.S. "carpet-bombing," napalm and the deadly dioxin Agent Orange. When the war ended, surviving local civilians turned the bog into agricultural land filled with rice paddies and other crops.
Rows of mangrove palms are surrounded by water hyacinths.
Tam Ky City has spent around VND8.9 billion ($364,530) from its budget to plant trees and restore the ecosystems of the Dam River over an area of 22 ha. Neighboring citizens have also committed to restoring and protecting the river's ecosystems of their own volition.
A boat moves through a river section packed with water hyacinths.
A survey by researchers from the Vietnam National Museum of Nature reported that the river is home to various species of 81 vertebrates, 214 invertebrates, 211 insects and 170 vascular plants.
The river is also home to 31 bird species, including the Asian openbill, which is on Vietnam's Red List of endangered species.
In July 2020, around 4,000 Asian openbills migrated to the Dam River seeking scarce food. The birds stayed at the river for around three months before leaving, and have not returned since.
Common greenshanks also migrate to the Dam River for food and shelter. Due to rich food sources of fish, shrimp and snails, thousands of greenshanks often hunt at the river every day.
In April 2023, authorities released around 30,000 fish of various species into the river to enrich the ecosystem.
Due to the abundance of fish and shrimp at the river, people never stop making giant 20 m2 fishnets to harvest nature's bounty and booty.
When the tides go down, people use nets to surround fish and shrimp nests and abduct the tasty, trapped creatures. Each nest yields at least 50 kg of fish each harvest, which take place every two months.
Every year, authorities support 15 families in planting lotuses on the river. Besides the lotus seed harvests, the site also has tourist draws.
Tourists visiting the Dam River enjoy stunning panoramic views of the seemingly endless organic scenery via light non-motorized boat trips.
A flock of ducks flies above the Dam River.
Tam Ky City plans to construct an "eco-city" and tourism development through 2030 with a vision to 2050. The city has asked the Quang Nam People's Committee to invest VND118 billion in the building of ecotourism infrastructure by 2024.
Besides infrastructure investments, Tam Ky City has also asked the provincial People's Committee to consider establishing an investment project to create a 6-ha Quang Nam biodiversity museum of Quang Nam at the Dam River.
