Nghe An: Risk of drought in winter-spring crop

Focus on regulating irrigation water properly

This spring crop, Bac Irrigation Company Limited irrigated 31,000 hectares of rice in the districts of Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu and Hoang Mai Town. Unlike previous years, this year, due to the construction of the Do Luong main canal system, irrigation services were not without difficulties.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong - Director of the Company said: Currently, the system is in the process of repairing the headworks and the main canal system of Do Luong. At the same time, construction is being carried out to serve irrigation, many times due to construction, the water has to be shut off, causing many difficulties for water supply, the water flow through the main canal has decreased by 20 - 25cm compared to previous years.

Construction of the canal section through Vien Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) in the Northern Irrigation System Upgrade project. Photo: PH

To ensure adequate water supply for the Spring crop as well as save water for Summer-Autumn production, recently the company has focused on repairing and dredging the entire canal system to prepare for production; developing drought prevention plans; mobilizing field pumps from localities to pump water from the drainage and return canal system to support the system, especially in the Quynh Luu area and the end of the canal in Dien Chau district.

At the same time, coordinate with construction units to have reasonable construction measures, reduce the impact on water sources and water flow into the main Do Luong canal due to construction.
Right from the early stages of spring crop production, difficulties in irrigation water sources occurred in some areas that "received" water from the Southern Irrigation System.

Mr. Thai Van Hung - Director of Nam Irrigation Company Limited said: Since Tet until now, the water level in the system has dropped very low, especially the water level on Lam River has continuously dropped to a negative level compared to the design of 1.25 m. To ensure water source for production, the company has directed the whole system to proactively regulate water source for difficult areas first; make the most of high tide times to open the sluices to bring water into the system.

Officials of Thanh Chuong Irrigation Company Limited check equipment and pumping progress at pumping stations. Photo: Huu Thinh

At the same time, the top priority is to regularly monitor and warn about water quality due to the water source being too low and tidal areas such as Ben Thuy and Nghi Quang will be invaded by salt, to prevent water loss or salt contamination from occurring. "In difficult times like this, we request local authorities as well as farmers to coordinate with the company, build embankments to retain water when water is pumped to the fields to avoid the situation of water being released from areas, which will be very difficult for the unit to manage water supply", Mr. Thai Van Hung shared.

Risk of severe drought at rice flowering time

According to information from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the El Nino phenomenon is likely to occur in the first half of 2019. In the Winter-Spring crop of 2018 - 2019, the general rainfall, river and stream flow and total average rainfall were all lower than the average of many years, the temperature in the past time was higher than normal, the prolonged heat caused many difficulties for water supply for production.

Yen Thanh district launched irrigation work in the communes. Photo: Ho Cac

Currently, the water level in the dams in the province is lower than the average of many years. However, the water source for spring crop production in the dams, especially the large dams, is still meeting the demand. The most worrying thing now is the areas that "receive" water from the Nam irrigation system when the water level on the Lam River is currently very low. By 7:00 a.m. on February 15, the water level in the Nam Dan bara was only 0.55, 65 cm lower than the design water level, the risk of drought and water shortage is very high, especially at the time of rice flowering, at the end of the crop.

According to Mr. Nguyen Truong Thanh - Head of Nghe An Irrigation Department: Taking advantage of the time when Ban Ve Hydropower Plant is releasing water, localities need to direct people to focus on taking water to low-lying areas, ponds and lakes for storage.

Irrigation units must operate the Nam Dan and Mu Ba sluice gates according to the correct procedures; the Nam Dan and Mu Ba sluice gates must be able to get the maximum water level into the two sluice gates; the Nghi Quang and Ben Thuy canal final sluice gates must strictly follow the correct procedures to prevent salinity, retain fresh water, ensure water quality, regularly check water quality, and absolutely do not pump water when salinity concentration is > 1%.

Localities must develop plans to prevent and combat drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion with specific scenarios for each region, in order to promptly deploy appropriate solutions. Closely monitor meteorological and hydrological forecast information to operate reservoirs appropriately, ensuring water for agricultural production and people's water supply, while ensuring absolute safety of dams and reservoirs.

Employees of Thanh Chuong District Irrigation Company Limited dredge mud and trash at Ru Nguoc pumping station. Photo: Dinh Ha

Regularly inventory water resources in irrigation works, practice water saving from the beginning of the dry season, have a reasonable water distribution plan to ensure adequate supply for essential needs such as daily life, livestock, perennial crops and agricultural production for the entire dry season.

At the same time, intensify the dredging of water intakes, canal systems, building dams to prevent salinity, digging water storage ponds, installing and operating field pumping stations to maximize water resources, reduce loss and waste. Make the most of the remaining natural water resources after the rainy season from ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, and canals to supply spring crop production as well as save water from irrigation and hydroelectric reservoirs to supply the following production crops.

The Provincial Irrigation Sub-Department checks the water supply situation on the Northern Irrigation System. Photo: PH

In addition, it is necessary to implement advanced irrigation solutions to save water for rice and dry crops such as shallow - exposed - dried, alternating wet and dry, sprinkler, drip... In particular, increase information and propaganda about the water resource situation, saltwater intrusion to people to raise people's awareness in using water economically; mobilize people to coordinate with units managing and exploiting irrigation works to take advantage of water collection, storage and use water effectively./.