Water level drops to record low, Tri An lake is dry like in the movies

Tri An Lake is an artificial lake of about 323 square kilometers located on the Dong Nai River (in Vinh Cuu, Dinh Quan, Thong Nhat and Trang Bom districts, Dong Nai). The project helps repel salinity, regulate floods in the downstream area and provide water for production and daily life for 18 million people in Dong Nai, Binh Duong provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.

This is where water is stored to supply the Tri An Hydroelectric Plant. On Tri An Lake, there are about 70 large and small islands, scattered with people living there.

According to VietNamNet on May 12, in the lake area, many places on the ground are cracked, hundreds of tree stumps are bare. Some places the lake is dry, creating moving ponds that make it impossible for some creatures to live.

After the water of Tri An Lake receded, it revealed green grass fields or dry gravel and rock beaches.

During the rainy season, Tri An Lake is vast and is a source of livelihood for many households. During the dry season, the heat lasts for a long time, the water recedes deeply, revealing a large area of land, reaching its peak in May and June each year, when the water level is at its lowest, leaving hundreds of bare trees, their roots exposed.

Mr. Nguyen Tien (a resident living along Tri An Lake) said that every year the water in Tri An Lake dries up, but never before has it dried up as much as this year. People can even ride motorbikes to the middle of the lake.

Mr. Van (a fisherman on Tri An Lake) said that normally he catches about 10kg of fish every day, but in recent months he has only caught about 2-4kg of fish every day. “I have been going from early morning until now and have only caught more than 2kg of fish, each kg sells for 60,000 VND,” Mr. Van shared.

Mr. Vo Tan Nhan, Director of Tri An Hydropower Company, said that the current water level in Tri An Lake is 51m, 1m above the dead water level, while the normal water level of the lake is 62m. This year is the year the lake water level is at its lowest in nearly 13 years.

Source