Law No. 17/2012/QH13 on Water Resources.

This Law provides for the management, protection, exploitation and use of water resources, as well as for the prevention, control and remedy of harmful effects caused by water.
The protection of water resources shall be exercised both at the national and local level taking prevention as the key, in combination with the protection and development of water generation sources and of forests, assurance of water flow, establishment of water source protection corridors, protection of water quality and aquatic ecosystems, etc. Master and local plans shall be prepared for socio-economic development and shall contain also a plan to prevent and combat water pollution and restore the quality of water sources. The Law sets out water resource strategies; principles of, and basis for elaboration of water resource master plans; contents of the plans; elaboration and approval of water resources master plans; etc.
The exploitation and use of water resources shall be performed for the following purposes: water supply, agricultural production, hydropower generation, salt production, aquaculture, industrial production and mining, navigation, etc. The exploitation and use of water resources is subject to the possession of a licence issued by the competent State agencies except in the case of small-scale use and in other cases as specified in the text.
The Law provides for responsibilities and obligations of State agencies, organizations and individuals for the prevention, control and remedy of harmful effects caused by floods, inundations, sea level rise, hail and by other natural disasters. The State managing agency shall provide for the construction of reservoirs, dykes, and other works for the diversion of water and drainage of flooded areas, and for the implementation of other measures to combat saltwater intrusion, hail, acid rain, etc.
The Law further provides for: regulation and distribution of water resources; water resource-related finance; principles to be applied in international relations on water resources; responsibilities for state management of water resources of the Government, ministries and ministerial level agencies; specialized water resource inspection and settlement of disputes over water resources; etc.