Proactive response to the risk of water shortage for spring irrigation.

(Baonghean) - The spring crop of 2015 is predicted to face a water shortage towards the end of the production season. Currently, the province's irrigation reservoirs do not have sufficient water reserves compared to previous years, which is a worrying situation. Meanwhile, rainfall is also predicted to be very low in the coming period. Local authorities and management agencies need to implement appropriate water regulation measures and propose feasible solutions to overcome the upcoming drought.

A common problem currently facing most irrigation reservoirs in the province is water shortage, with many areas experiencing severe shortages. At Khe Go reservoir in Nghi Cong commune, Nghi Loc district, in previous years, at this time, the water level reached 100% of its capacity, equivalent to 5.44 million cubic meters, but this year it is only at 38.6% of its capacity. This is not unique to Khe Go reservoir; many reservoirs and dams in the province are currently not storing enough water to meet their designed capacity. Of the 50 reservoirs and dams managed by enterprises, only two have reached 100% capacity: Khe Dua reservoir and Lo Than reservoir. However, both of these reservoirs have a designed capacity of less than 500,000 cubic meters, while most of the remaining reservoirs, even after the rainy season, have not reached 50% of their capacity. At Khe Thi Reservoir (Nghi Loc district), with a designed capacity of 2.65 million cubic meters, it currently only holds 1.92 million cubic meters. "The current water level is 4 meters lower than in previous years, only enough to irrigate 40 hectares of land for the winter-spring crop; the rest will be affected by drought," said Mr. Nguyen Lien Phuong, a manager at Khe Thi Reservoir.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspects Khe Thi reservoir (Nghi Loc).

Irrigation water for agricultural production is typically sourced from reservoirs and streams via pumping stations or gravity-fed systems. Water levels in reservoirs and streams are influenced by annual rainfall. The province has 625 reservoirs storing water for agricultural production; for the spring crop of 2015 alone, irrigation was needed for 103,000 hectares of food crops, including 86,000 hectares of rice. Unlike previous years, the average annual rainfall in 2014 was only 1,298.2 mm, significantly lower than the multi-year average for the same period (370.2 mm) and 798.4 mm lower than in 2013. This has resulted in reservoirs not accumulating the necessary amount of water. According to statistics from the Irrigation Sub-Department, even though the rainy season is ending, the water level in reservoirs is only at 50-60%. Thus, the risk of irrigation water shortage in 2015 is predicted to be quite serious. The North Nghe An Irrigation System's main task is to operate the Do Luong reservoir and 16 other reservoirs to serve agricultural production on over 65,000 hectares of farmland and provide water for domestic use, production, and aquaculture in four districts: Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, and Quynh Luu. However, currently, the reservoirs here only hold 50-55% of their normal capacity. Meanwhile, the South irrigation system, located downstream, faces an even more severe risk of water shortage. Discussing measures to ensure irrigation water for the 2015 spring crop, Mr. Thai Van Hung, Deputy Director of Nam Irrigation Company Limited, advised: “Farmers in areas facing water scarcity should take advantage of pumping water from irrigation canals to have water for planting. Regarding irrigation infrastructure, we are inspecting, maintaining, and repairing machinery and irrigation canals, especially the main canals; we will demarcate drought-prone areas, install mobile pumps, and request local authorities to coordinate rotational pumping to ensure that both upstream and downstream areas have water for pumping.”

Faced with difficulties regarding irrigation water supply during the 2015 spring crop season, localities have implemented response plans to ensure sufficient water until the end of the production period. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Vice Chairman of the Nghi Loc District People's Committee, stated: “2015 will see drought, and reservoirs will not have enough water, so Nghi Loc district has proactively converted a portion of rice cultivation to other crops. In addition, the district has assigned communes, relevant departments, and farmers to clear waterways and practice water-saving irrigation to ensure sufficient water for the spring crop.”

The reservoir system throughout the province has not accumulated enough water for irrigation, meaning that farmers will face the possibility of a prolonged drought during the 2015 spring crop season. Therefore, from now on, relevant units, localities, and farmers need to proactively implement measures to cope with the risks of drought. To proactively manage water resources, according to Mr. Nguyen Van De, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in addition to shifting areas with unstable water levels and high-lying areas to cultivate other suitable crops, localities must conserve water and plan water extraction carefully. Local authorities need to inform farmers to concentrate water extraction at specific times, absolutely avoiding water waste. Irrigation management units need to prepare well-planned drought prevention measures, prepare pumps, clear waterways, dredge canals, and repair infrastructure to avoid wasting water and conserve irrigation resources for the rice crop's development stages throughout the season.

Vinh Thao