Water hyacinth 'suffocates' flood gates to prevent flooding

At this time, at the Nghi Quang Bara sluice (Nghi Loc), we saw water hyacinths gathering densely in the sluice gate area, causing the flow to be blocked. Workers were taking turns to salvage and push the water hyacinths. Mr. Hoang Van Huong - Head of Nghi Quang Bara Station, said: Nghi Quang Bara sluice drains floodwaters for Nghi Loc district, Hung Nguyen, Vinh city and part of Nam Dan district.

The sluice has 13 gates operated by electricity. Since September 7, all have been opened with a discharge capacity of over 280 m3.³/s. The current difficulty is that the amount of water hyacinth that flows from various places is too much. Every day, the unit has to mobilize 6-8 workers to use poles to push the water hyacinth right at the mouth of the sewer all day. Every time a piece of water hyacinth is pushed, another piece of water hyacinth is pulled back.

Due to the large amount of water hyacinth, it will be very difficult to drain the flood quickly during the rainy season. The problem now is that the unit needs the cooperation of both the people and the local government to support the water hyacinth, quickly clear the flow to effectively drain the flood during the rainy season.

Not to mention that the Bara Nghi Quang sluice currently has many degraded items, such as most of the gate valve system is broken, causing operational limitations. Before the rainy season, the unit had to hire divers and machines to remove the wooden wedges at the gate valve to clear the flow and drain the flood. During the rice irrigation season, they had to hire divers to seal the gate valve to prevent salinity.

At the same time, at Bara Ben Thuy sluice (Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city), workers are trying to use poles to push water hyacinth right at the sluice gates. Mr. Le Dinh Nam - Head of Bara Ben Thuy Management Station said: This is a key irrigation project that has the effect of preventing salinity, keeping fresh water, and draining floods for Vinh city, Hung Nguyen and Nam Dan districts.

This project has 10 sluice gates currently discharging at a water level of 235 m.³/s but water hyacinth and all kinds of tree trunks and rubbish all piled up and got stuck at the sluice gate. For the past week, the unit had to assign workers wearing life jackets to stay on duty all night to push the water hyacinth clear the gate to facilitate drainage.

In addition to the 4B drainage culvert of Quynh Thanh commune, Quynh Luu district drains floodwaters for the communes of Quynh Thach, Quynh Hong, Quynh Van, and Quynh Ba. Currently, this culvert area is covered with water hyacinth, making it very difficult to drain the flood. During the rainy season, workers at culvert 4B of Quynh Thanh commune have to take turns to scoop up water hyacinths right at the mouth of this culvert to drain the flood.

Before the rainy season, Quynh Luu district has started dredging the Thai riverbed with a length of 1.5km from Cau Giat - Quynh Luu town to Quynh Hong and Quynh Dien communes to remove water hyacinth, clear the canal bed, and minimize flooding.

At the Dien Thanh and Dien Thuy drainage culverts in Dien Ngoc commune, workers are operating drainage systems and actively collecting water hyacinth right at the culvert entrance.

A representative of Nghe An Irrigation Department said: Nghe An currently has over 20 large and small drainage systems, such as Bara Nghi Quang sluice, Bara Ben Thuy sluice, Binh Son sluice in Quynh Hung commune and 4B sluice in Quynh Thanh commune, Thuong Xa sluice, Dien Thanh sluice, Dien Thuy sluice...

Currently, only Dien Thanh sluice has been upgraded, the rest are mostly degraded, making it difficult to operate during the rainy and stormy season. The agricultural sector has directed irrigation units and workers to stay close to the area, on duty 24/7, and discharge water according to the motto of "clearing the tide, draining the flood"; ensuring safety for people during the rainy and stormy season.