Billion-dollar irrigation dam degraded after 3 years of use in Nghe An

Khe Ngang Dam started construction in December 2011 and was completed and put into use in September 2012.

The project is invested by Thanh Chuong District People's Committee with a total cost of more than 14 billion VND from the State budget, including items such as: reservoir, canal system, pipeline and road system to the dam.

However, after 3 years of use, by 2015, the project had deteriorated.

Taking us around the Khe Ngang irrigation dam area, Mr. Nguyen Van Ha - Head of Son Linh 2 hamlet said: "When Khe Ngang dam was built, people in the area were very happy because irrigation of the fields would become more convenient, they would be proactive in the source and no longer worry about water shortages during the dry season. But not long after it was put into use, the dam leaked water into the river and stream instead of into the reservoir, making people extremely worried."

Khe Ngang irrigation dam in Son Linh 2 hamlet, Thanh Lam commune (Thanh Chuong) has deteriorated after 3 years of use. Photo: Diep Phuong

According to Mr. Ha, in the past 2 years the dam has seriously degraded due to a technical error in the dam valve system shield, so the first time the dam was discharged, the valve was damaged, preventing the bottom discharge from opening.

Over time, due to weathering, storms, and soil and rocks flowing down, they accumulate and gradually build up. If not remedied in the near future, there is a risk of silting up the entire water pipe.

The spillway gate was more than 1 meter high when put into use but is now covered with soil and rocks. Photo: Diep Phuong

Large pieces of concrete are peeling off the dam. Photo: Diep Phuong

“When put into use, the lake bottom was 4m deep but now it has been filled up to the level of the dam wall. The energy dissipation tank which was previously 1.5m high has now been filled up to the level of the lake bed. It is said that there is a billion-dollar dam in use but it is not effective,” said Le Van Nhan, Party Secretary of Son Linh 2 hamlet.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh - Chairman of Thanh Lam Commune People's Committee, Thanh Chuong District said: Khe Ngang irrigation dam project was built to provide regular irrigation water for more than 60 hectares of rice of people in 3 hamlets: Son Linh 1, Son Linh 2 and Trieu Long 1.

In recent years, the Commune People's Committee has received complaints from local people about the damaged valve of the irrigation dam and the local leaders have directed to fix it. However, due to the serious valve failure, although 3 technicians have come to repair it, it has not been fixed yet.

The 1.5m high dissipation tank has now been filled up to the same level as the lake bed. Photo: Diep Phuong

Faced with the current state of the dam's degradation, Mr. Nguyen The Cuong - Acting Head of the Economic Infrastructure Department of Thanh Chuong District said: "The dam has a drainage system and a water intake pipe. Because the water intake pipe is designed to be placed low, through the process of use and operation, the commune does not regularly maintain and dredge it every year, so it gradually becomes silted up. In the coming time, the district will directly direct the repair to raise the water intake gate higher and maintain and dredge the project so that people can feel secure in production."