Résumé
Phnom Penh lies at the junction of four rivers and marks the beginning of the Mekong delta. The Cambodian delta plains are characterised by earthen canals that result from both hydrological processes and human interventions dating backto the mid-nineteenth century. These preks shape the landscape and serve a variety of purposes: communication routes, irrigation for agriculture, fishing areas, etc. For about two decades now, the Cambodian government together with its technical and finan-cial partners has viewed preks as a means of intensifying regional agricultural systems. Ambitious programmes aimed at greater control of water flows have been implemented and are characterised by a low level of attention to environmental justice issues.