Warning of water shortage risk

According to experts, due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, there has been a hot and dry weather, increasing the risk of water shortages, affecting production and people's lives. Currently, the water level in some lakes and dams in the province has decreased compared to the same period last year and is forecast to continue to decrease if there is no rain. The functional units of the province are currently implementing many management and operation solutions, ensuring to minimize the risk of impacts due to water shortages.

Officers of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspect Tan Yen reservoir (Dong Trieu town).

In Dong Trieu Town, Dong Trieu Irrigation One Member Co., Ltd. is managing 18 dams, with a total water storage capacity of about 35.8 million m ³ ; 6 irrigation pumping stations, with 18 units with a total irrigation pumping flow of 18,900 ^{m 3} /h; 5 drainage pumping stations with 45 units with a total drainage pumping flow of 159,000 ^{m 3} /h; 1 drainage culvert and co-managing 7 culverts under the dike; 142km of irrigation canals of all kinds and works on the canals. Every year, the unit supplies irrigation water for nearly 6,199 hectares of cultivated area in 19 communes, wards and a number of enterprises in the town.

According to the assessment of the authorities, currently many irrigation lakes in the area have lower water levels than previous years; there is a risk of drought, affecting water supply for agricultural production and people's needs this year.

Trai Loc 1 Lake has a useful reservoir capacity of 2.7 million m3, now reduced to 0.5 million m3.

Typically, at Khe Che Lake, the useful reservoir capacity is 9 million ^m3 , now reduced to 3.4 million ^m3 ; Trai Loc 1 Lake, the useful reservoir capacity is 2.7 million ^m3 , now reduced to 0.5 million ^m3 ; Dong Do 1 Lake, the useful reservoir capacity is 2.34 million ^m3 , now reduced to 0.7 million ^m3 ; Ben Chau Lake, the useful reservoir capacity is 7.8 million ^m3 , now reduced to 2.67 million ^m3 ...

Mr. Dang Van Tuyen, Chairman of Dong Trieu Irrigation Company Limited, said: Up to now, the water level at 18 lakes managed by the Company is lower than the same period in 2022. The capacity of the lakes managed by the Company is currently 12.25 million ^m3 / 35.58 million ^m3 , reaching 34% of the total design capacity. With the above water source, irrigation water supply for agricultural production in Dong Trieu town is still guaranteed in June and early July. However, with the current prolonged hot weather, there is no rain in the area, so some reservoirs are at risk of water shortage for agricultural production.

To cope with the water shortage, since the beginning of 2023, the Company has proactively developed plans and solutions to cope with drought and water shortages in lakes at risk of water shortages, such as: Installing field pumps, pumping to take advantage of dead capacity in reservoirs and water sources from rivers and streams; directing irrigation clusters to directly lead water on canals to irrigation areas according to water sources, repairing canal systems to avoid leakage and loss of water resources...

Dong Do 1 Lake provides irrigation water for Binh Khe commune (Dong Trieu town), water level decreased to 0.7 million m3.

Meanwhile, Yen Lap Quang Ninh Irrigation Company Limited was assigned to manage and exploit 13 large and medium-sized lakes, with a total water storage capacity of about 151.4 million ^m3 , serving production and daily life of local people in Quang Yen, Uong Bi and Ha Long. Up to now, the water level has dropped to 21.5m, 1.56m lower than the same period last year.

Currently, the water level at reservoirs managed by Yen Lap Quang Ninh Irrigation Company Limited is lower than the same period in 2022. Of which, Roc Cung reservoir is -1.05m lower than the dead water level; An Bien reservoir is 0.8m from the dead water level; Roc Ca reservoir is 0.5m from the dead water level, the water level at Khe Cam water intake sluice, Roc Ca reservoir is 0.5m below the bottom of the sluice, currently the water cannot be opened to serve production; Chan Deo reservoir is 2.54m from the dead water level...

Faced with this situation, Yen Lap Quang Ninh Irrigation Company Limited has coordinated with units and localities to strengthen information, propaganda, and guide people to use water resources for production in a reasonable manner; strengthen management and allocate water resources reasonably to localities; maintain and repair works to avoid water loss...

The current water level in Khe Che Lake has now dropped to 3.4 million cubic meters.

According to statistics of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, currently in the province there are 176 lakes and dams operating to provide irrigation and domestic water for people; the useful capacity of the reservoirs is over 315 million m ³ . Up to this point, the capacity of the reservoirs has reached 170.6 million m ³ , reaching about 54% of the water reserve.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: Since the beginning of the year, the province has issued documents directing the assurance of water security and the environment. Currently, the province is still basically ensuring the supply of irrigation and domestic water for people. However, if there is no good usage plan, water shortages will occur. Currently, the Eastern region of the province is basically ensuring the amount of water used for nearly 3 months, and the Western region is about 2 months if there are plans to save water in reservoirs. In the current hot and dry weather conditions, the Department has directed irrigation companies to implement plans to store water and regulate water appropriately; recommending localities to proactively propagate and mobilize people and households to use water economically and reasonably, especially in the process of opening irrigation water to avoid waste and loss.

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