Heat wave and saltwater intrusion 'threaten' 700 hectares of summer-autumn rice in Nghi Loc

Nguyen Hai DNUM_BFZAGZCABJ 10:19

(Baonghean.vn) - By June 15, about 700 hectares out of a total of 5,100 hectares of summer-autumn rice in Nghi Loc district were threatened by hot weather, lack of irrigation water, and saltwater intrusion.

Nắng nóng và thiếu nước tưới làm hơn 100 ha lúa hè thu xã Nghi Thuận bị khô nứt nẻ. Ảnh: Nguyễn Hải
Hot weather and lack of irrigation water have caused more than 100 hectares of summer-autumn rice in Nghi Thuan commune to dry out and crack. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Nghi Thuan Commune (Nghi Loc) is the locality at the end of the irrigation water source, so it is most affected by this heat wave. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phuong, an agricultural officer of the commune, said: In this year's summer-autumn crop, the commune planted 310 hectares of rice. However, due to the heat and lack of irrigation water, almost the entire area has been affected, of which about 100 hectares of rice land have dried up and cracked; if the sun continues for another 5-7 days, it will be very difficult to save the rice seedlings because they will completely die.

Not only Nghi Thuan but also other communes at the end of the Cam River system such as Nghi Dien, Nghi Hoa, Nghi Hung, Quan Hanh town... due to the hot weather, rice is seriously lacking irrigation water.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang - Head of the District's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shared: This summer-autumn crop, Nghi Loc planted 5,100 hectares out of the planned 7,000 hectares (the remaining area is for late rice). Compared to previous years, this year the district planted rice earlier, so tea 1 and tea 2 are growing well. However, due to the hot weather, 700 hectares have been affected by drought and over 200 hectares have been cracked and dried, with a very high risk of damage and total loss.

Do không có nước ngọt về nên hệ thống trạm bơm và kênh mương đều bị vô hiệu hóa. Ảnh: Nguyễn Hải
Due to lack of fresh water, the pumping station and canal systems are all disabled. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Learning more, we learned that the work of preventing drought and saving rice in Nghi Loc is difficult not only because of the lack of irrigation water but also because there are areas with water but cannot irrigate. The reason is that Nghi Loc is located at the end of the Southern irrigation system, so the amount of fresh water from upstream is almost non-existent, so 65 irrigation pumping stations along the Gai and Cam rivers are disabled.

Not only that, the Cam River has been deeply eroded by salt water, making it impossible to irrigate. According to the monitoring results of the Nam Irrigation Company, the Cam River's water source has been eroded by salt water 12 km up to Phuong Tich Bridge (Nghi Phuong Commune), so the communes below cannot organize irrigation pumping.

Một Trạm bơm gần cầu N5 xã Nghi Thuận do mực nước giảm sâu và nước mặn xâm thực nên không thể bơm tưới. Ảnh: Nguyễn Hải
A pumping station near N5 bridge in Nghi Thuan commune cannot pump for irrigation due to low water levels and saltwater intrusion. Photo: Nguyen Hai

In fact, in Nghi Thuan commune, the commune has 5 large capacity pumping stations, but 3 stations have been suspended due to lack of water, and 2 pumping stations can only be pumped to the fields when it is certain that fresh water is coming.

To save the summer-autumn rice crop, Nghi Loc district directed communes in the dam area such as Nghi Lam, Nghi Van, Nghi Kieu... to irrigate water sparingly; Nghi Yen, Nghi Hung, Nghi Dong communes to save the remaining water from dams, dredge mud and clear the flow of Gai River to irrigate and keep the rice moist. In addition, the district directed Nghi Yen, Nghi Tien, Nghi Thiet communes... to temporarily stop summer-autumn rice production if there is a water shortage; organize the construction of embankments at the culvert across N5 road, flowing through hamlet 11, Nghi Thuan commune to prevent salt water from flowing back up.

Một máy bơm khác ở Nghi Thuận ở trong tình trạng khi có nước tưới khi không vì chỉ bơm khi có kết quả quan trắc tỷ lệ nước ngọt đảm bảo. Ảnh: Nguyễn Hải
A pump in Nghi Thuan is in an "unstable" state because only when the monitoring results show that the fresh water ratio is guaranteed will it dare to pump it to the field. Photo: Nguyen Hai

In addition to the communes in the lower areas, the communes in the upper areas such as Nghi Van, Nghi Lam and Nghi Kieu are also struggling to endure the drought. Mr. Tran Van Sao - Chairman of Nghi Van Commune People's Committee said: Nghi Van as well as the communes in the dam area are struggling to endure the drought. This season, the commune directed people to sow 510 hectares of summer-autumn rice, so the commune saved irrigation water.

Currently, the water level of the dams in the area has decreased and the rice fields of the commune can withstand another 10 days. If the water level is too high, we will have to use mobile pumps to irrigate...

Đoạn sông Cấm chảy qua xã Nghi Thuận, do nước ngọt giảm sâu và nước mặn xâm thực lên nên dù chưa cạn kiệt nhưng không thể bơm tưới cho cây trồng. Ảnh: Nguyễn Hải
The Cam River section flowing through Nghi Thuan commune, due to the sharp decrease in fresh water and saltwater intrusion, although not yet exhausted, cannot be pumped to irrigate crops. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Chairman of Nghi Loc District People's Committee said: The plan to build a dam to prevent salt water at the culvert across N5 road, Nghi Thuan commune is the most optimal, the more delayed the salt water will be.

Đê quai tạm thời ngăn nước mặn tại cống qua cầu N5, xóm 11 xã Nghi Thuận. Dù bị người dân có ý kiến phản ứng nhưng đây là giải pháp cấp bách và tối ưu nhất. Ảnh: Nguyễn Hải
A temporary cofferdam blocks salt water at the culvert across bridge N5, hamlet 11, Nghi Thuan commune. Despite the local people's objections, this is the most urgent and optimal solution. Photo: Nguyen Hai


In case the heat continues to last, the rice will be damaged, we have to accept it. At that time, the district will calculate and allocate budget to support people to plant other crops when it rains. In the long term, Nghi Loc hopes that the province will speed up the project to build a new Nam Dan sluice to put into operation to supply fresh water to Gai River and Cam River, thereby the irrigation pumping system will promote its effectiveness and efficiency for rice plants and will basically overcome the phenomenon of saltwater intrusion that occurs every year during drought.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Chairman of Nghi Loc District People's Committee

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Heat wave and saltwater intrusion 'threaten' 700 hectares of summer-autumn rice in Nghi Loc
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