Proactively prevent saltwater intrusion: Rice is absolutely safe

Protect production safety

An Bien and An Minh districts are the two most severely damaged localities in Kien Giang province during the 2015-2016 saltwater drought, with tens of thousands of hectares of rice and shrimp farms affected, causing thousands of billions of dong damage.

An Minh is a district with the largest brackish water shrimp farming area in Kien Giang province, with a current farming area of more than 47,800 hectares, of which over 39,000 hectares are shrimp-rice rotation farming, and the rest is extensive farming. industrial improvement and intensification. This year's shrimp crop has been focused on stocking shrimp after the Lunar New Year. Shrimp is currently growing quite well and has not been affected much despite drought and saltwater intrusion during peak periods.

Mr. Le Huu Toan, Director of Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the province issued a plan to prevent drought and saltwater intrusion very early. The agricultural sector has proactively implemented measures to respond to the drought situation effectively, salinity, including proper operation of sluices in the area to prevent salinity and maintain fresh water to ensure water supply for agricultural production.

Besides structural solutions such as operating culverts and building temporary dams to prevent salinity, non-structural solutions are also deployed synchronously. The agricultural sector has proactively developed and directed localities to implement sowing schedules for rice production nearly a month earlier than usual. In areas with limited freshwater sources, it is recommended not to use long-day rice varieties to avoid damage due to drought and salinity in the mid to late stages of the season.

Efforts to ensure water for daily use

Scarcity and lack of water for daily use are constant worries of households living in coastal areas and islands every time the dry season comes. Surface water sources are contaminated with salinity, and well water is contaminated with saline alum and cannot be used.

On the islands, water sources in streams have dried up, and water levels in state-invested reservoirs have also dropped rapidly. According to data reviewed and compiled from districts and cities in Kien Giang province, the number of households likely to be affected by water shortages during the dry season is forecast to be about 30,000 households, concentrated in areas with difficulties in domestic water supply, remote areas, places where there has not been investment in centralized water supply projects.

Thuan Hoa is a coastal commune in An Minh district, mainly producing according to the shrimp-rice model, so in the dry season, people need fresh water even though they live surrounded by rivers. In areas bordering the sea or small canals, people have to buy drinking water brought by boat from other places at VND 40,000 - 50,000/m3.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Director of the Center for Clean Water and Rural Environmental Sanitation of Kien Giang province, said that the unit currently supplies water to nearly 90,000 rural households in 82 communes and seven towns in 13 districts.

The center manages 58 water supply stations and three water reservoirs, with an average supply capacity of 53,000 m3/day - night. Of these, there are 20 surface water exploitation stations (18,662 m3/day and night) and 38 underground water exploitation stations (34,490 m3/day and night). Duong Dong Lake alone provides raw water for Kien Giang Water Supply and Drainage Company Limited - Phu Quoc Branch, on average 23,000-24,000 m3/day and night.

Van Thanh water supply station (Hon Dat district) was affected by salinity by the Kenh 9 River on March 11. The Water Center has closed the valve to the settling pond and proposed that the Kien Giang Irrigation Department regulate the water to reduce salinity. The water reserve from the settling lake can be maintained for the next three days. The Water Center is closely monitoring the salinity level to add water to the lake when the salinity is appropriate to ensure water supply for people.

In Kien Hai island district, the Hon Tre water supply station has reduced well water flow, and some pipeline lines lack supply. The Center has to regulate water supply by the hour and divide routes to ensure all routes have water. Bai Nha water reservoir (leaving Lai Son island) operates normally, providing clean water for daily use on average 310 m3/day and night.

However, due to the heat, the water level in the lake is dropping very quickly, about more than 10 cm/day, corresponding to the amount of water lost due to seepage and evaporation of about 800 m3/day. With the current weather situation and ent need for clean wpply, the lake's ability to supply water for 31 days will reach the dead water level by mid-April 2024.