Save water to respond to El Nino

Water shortage in small lakes

Binh Dinh has 164 irrigation reservoirs with a storage capacity of 50,000 m³ or more. In which, Binh Dinh Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited manages and operates 63 large and medium reservoirs. The existing storage capacity of the 63 lakes mentioned above is 457 million/640 million m³ of water, reaching 71% of the design capacity.

Notably, the 6 largest lakes in Binh Dinh currently have 379 million m³ of water, reaching 75% of the design capacity. Specifically, Dinh Binh Lake currently has 163 million/226 million m³, Nui Mot Lake with more than 78 million/110 million m³, Dong Mit Lake with more than 60 million/89 million m³, Hoi Son Lake with 35 million/44.5 million m³, lake Thuan Ninh nearly 26 million/35 million m³, Van Hoi lake more than 11 million/14 million m³.

The remaining 57 small reservoirs managed by Binh Dinh Irrigation Works Operation Co., Ltd. are 78 million m³, reaching 77% of the designed capacity, down 23 million m³ from last year.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Phu, Chairman of Binh Dinh Irrigation Works Operation Co., Ltd, the current water level in 6 large reservoirs in Binh Dinh ensures enough water for agricultural production until the end of 2023. But remaining 57 reservoirs, through the inspection in the early days of May, the management unit has shown 10 reservoirs at risk of lack of water for irrigation by the end of the summer-autumn crop 2023.

"In 10 reservoirs managed by the company, there is a risk of lack of water for irrigation at the end of this summer-autumn crop. If there is no solution to combat drought right now, applying economical irrigation will result in a shortage of 1-2 irrigations at the end of this year, each watering period from 6-7 days. Of the 10 lakes mentioned above in Hoai Nhon town, there are 2 lakes (Ho Giang Lake and My Binh Lake). Phu Cat district has Bo Se Lake, and the remaining 7 lakes are in Phu My district.

"The fear of water shortage is even greater for 101 small reservoirs in Binh Dinh managed by localities. From the end of the winter-spring crop 2022-2023, due to the hot sun and no rain, the small reservoirs do not have additional water, the water volume is now lower than in the same period in 2022, and the flow to the lake is low and exhausted.

"In the summer-autumn crop of 2023, irrigation works managed by the company are responsible for irrigating over 35,600 hectares of crops. Up to now, we have supplied enough water for farmers to sow. Some local low-lying and dike areas in Phu Cat district and Tuy Phuoc district will finish sowing on May 25. Particularly, the rice area depends on water sources for irrigation of medium reservoirs managed by the company in Hoai Nhon town, Phu Cat district, and Phu My district. After harvesting the winter-spring crop, people sow early to save water," shared Mr. Nguyen Van Phu, Chairman of Binh Dinh Irrigation Works Operation Co., Ltd.

Many places are at risk of water shortage

In the rainy season of 2022, in Quang Ngai province, there were many consecutive rains with a large amount of rain, so most of the water level in the reservoirs exceeded the flood discharge reached the design capacity. However, to ensure the source of irrigation water for production for the whole year of 2023 for reservoirs managed by Quang Ngai Irrigation and Drainage Management One Partner Limited Company, right from the beginning of the winter-spring crop 2022-2023, the company has directly affiliated units to rotate irrigation to save water resources.

According to Mr. Ha The Vinh, Director of Quang Ngai Irrigation and Drainage Management One Partner Limited Company, the company contracted to supply water for more than 47,000 hectares of rice production in 2023. The winter-spring crop is more than 23,000 hectares. The summer-autumn crop is nearly 24,000 hectares.

In addition, the company also provides water for industry, including Tinh Phong Tapioca Starch Processing Factory, Vinaconex Water Factory, Urban Environment Company, and VSIP Quang Ngai Company, with a total water volume of nearly 9.7 million m³. Nuoc Trong and Nui Ngang reservoirs are combined with the water supply for power generation.

According to Mr. Vinh, in the summer-autumn crop of 2023, in addition to providing irrigation water for production, the company also regulates water in the irrigation area to raise the groundwater level, washing alum, combating saltwater intrusion to serve domestic water for people, livestock and poultry in the eastern communes of Binh Son, Son Tinh, Mo Duc districts, Quang Ngai city, and Nam Thi irrigation zone Duc Pho commune.

"In the summer-autumn crop of 2023, the rice area in Quang Ngai likely to suffer from drought is 5,670 hectares. Binh Son district is nearly 800 hectares, Son Tinh district is over 700 hectares, Quang Ngai City is over 400 hectares, Tu Nghia district is nearly 700 hectares, Nghia Hanh district is 50 hectares, Mo Duc district is over 2,000 hectares, Duc Pho district is 800 hectares, and Son Ha district is 160 hectares," said Mr. Ha The Vinh, Director of Quang Ngai Irrigation and Drainage Management One Partner Limited Company.

In Ninh Thuan, by the beginning of May 2023, the storage capacity at 22 reservoirs in this province managed by Ninh Thuan Irrigation Management Company Limited was 229 million m³, accounting for 55.4% of design volume. The capacity of Tan My Lake is more than 106 million m³, reaching 48.3% of the design capacity, equivalent to the storage capacity of the same period in 2022. The total storage capacity of the remaining 21 lakes is more than 123 million m³, reaching more than 123 million m³, reaching 63% of the design capacity, higher than in 2022. Don Duong Lake's water reached more than 83 million/165 million m³, reaching nearly 51% of the design capacity.

In the summer-autumn crop 2023, Ninh Thuan Irrigation Management Company Limited provides water for more than 25,600 hectares of crops. There are more than 14,400 hectares of rice, more than 8,200 hectares of crops, and nearly 2,500 hectares of perennial plants, and they provide water for 449 hectares of aquaculture.

According to Mr. Le Pham Hoa Binh, Deputy Director in charge of Ninh Thuan Irrigation Works Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company, based on the amount of water currently stored in reservoirs managed by the company and according to the crop production plan. In summer-autumn 2023, the company will prioritize water supply for daily life, livestock, industry, and agricultural production; In agriculture, priority is given to long-term crops, crops, and rice.

The irrigation systems in Ninh Thuan and Don Duong reservoirs are estimated to ensure sufficient water supply for essential needs and agricultural production. Notably, the water source of Ma Trai Lake is for domestic water supply, while the water source of Bau Zon and Ta Ranh reservoirs ensures the water supply for livestock production.