Build a national database on lakes and dams

Reasons why some programs and dams have yet to be completed

In addition to the accomplishment of the Vietnam Dam Rehabilitation and Safety Improvement Project (WB8) in the disbursement of investment capital, the project also provided management agencies with lessons and experience for the implementation of large-scale projects.

Regarding the non-fulfillment, a senior irrigation expert at the World Bank, Pham Hung Cuong, explained that insufficient time remained to coordinate bidding and construction concurrently with the entire project. Consequently, despite adequate preparation, it is impossible to implement certain programs sponsored by MARD as an investor, such as enhancing the discharge capabilities of eight reservoirs and upgrading the Irrigation General Department's essential equipment.

Cuong considered it as a significant instruction for all project implementation sections. Instead of decelerating, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development must implement its programs and initiatives promptly and simultaneously with the provinces.

Along with learning from their work experience, the management units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development must implement synchronous and highly accurate tasks without requiring multiple revisions. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the connection and coordinate more closely with international organizations.

Regarding Tha Lake in Hoa Binh, which has not been completed and has a remaining value of approximately 7.2 billion VND, Pham Hung Cuong assessed that this is a straightforward project with no land space issues; however, the financial capacity of construction contractors is very limited, making construction progress challenging.

Therefore, Pham Hung Cuong recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the province of Hoa Binh identify the root cause of the contractor's inadequate financial capacity. If there are violations, the company should be removed from consideration for future contracts.

Regarding the two provinces of Hoa Binh and Ha Tinh, some households have yet to receive compensation. Mr. Ahmed Eiweida, Head of the Sustainable Development Department at the World Bank in Vietnam, emphasized that if the project still has issues relating to compensation and welfare policies, particularly land acquisition, we will need additional plans to complete after the project's completion date.

Values contributed by WB8

Along with operation in dam construction and rehabilitation, the project serves to enhance institutional capacity through the development of 11 sets of guidelines for survey, design, occupational safety assessment, and operating management, as well as 14 sets of technical instructions.

In addition, a national database on reservoir and dam safety was created by the Software Technology Center for the Department of Water Resources. Mr. Pham Hung Cuong stated that the current issue with the system is how to construct dams in all provinces and cities. Thus, instruct local officials on how to update lake and dam data in this central database.

Deputy Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep directed the Central Management Board of Irrigation Projects (CPO) and project implementation divisions to compile a national database of dam safety for the agricultural industry. In addition, all technical manuals, emergency action plans, etc. must be gathered so that they can serve as an archive for shared data and be used in future initiatives.

Regarding certain constraints during the implementation of the undertaking, "The initial objective of the project was to repair and improve 475 lakes; there are currently 435 lakes, a decrease of 40 lakes compared to the target. Accordingly, the remaining disbursed funds of up to $80 million USD were not utilized. It is unfortunate that this funding source is required for the dam's safety," said Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep.

The Deputy Minister stated that the lesson for the project implementation units is that coordination between the units must be conducted scientifically and in a timely manner in order for the components to be completed on time. The anticipated date for the conference to evaluate the project to rehabilitate and enhance dam safety is October of this year.

Nghe An, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, and Quang Tri are the four provinces in the top group that have performed exceptionally well and should serve as models for design and implementation. In particular, the reservoirs of the WB8 project in Khanh Hoa province are not only well-constructed, but also operate under strict operational and maintenance supervision. The management rooms are fully outfitted with working amenities, including air conditioners and network connections for computers.

"The province of Khanh Hoa serves as a model for the irrigation industry when numerous technological advancements are implemented in the administration and exploitation of reservoirs and dams. The parameters of water level, sluice opening, etc. are recorded and provided to the irrigation company in a daily workbook. According to Mr. Pham Hung Cuong, the dams in Khanh Hoa are implemented very effectively due to real-time monitoring.

The WB8 project was initiated when dams across the nation fell into severe disrepair, lacked operational apparatus, etc.

Even the World Bank-funded dam repair and safety enhancement project has been included on the list of critical point projects by Bac Giang province.

Consequently, the implementation of the project has significantly contributed to the reduction of hazards associated with dam and reservoir incidents. Ensure the safety of people living in the lowlands, expand the agricultural production area supplied with irrigation water in accordance with the National Strategy for Responding to Climate Change and the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, and restructure the economy of the province in general, the agricultural sector in particular, etc.