Nghe An: Many reservoirs dry up, summer-autumn rice seriously lacks irrigation water

Khe Giang reservoir in Hau Thanh hamlet, Tay Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) is running out of water (Photo taken on June 22). Photo: Van Truong

Present in the rice fields in Hau Thanh hamlet, Tay Thanh commune (Yen Thanh), we saw farmers building up the banks of the fields. Mr. Tran Nam - a farmer in Hau Thanh hamlet said: My family grows 2 sao of summer-autumn rice, because the reservoir is dry, the rice fields are lacking water, we are planning to bring mini electric pumps to the streams and creeks to pump water up to save the rice.

Following the edge of the field, we found Khe Giang reservoir in Hau Thanh hamlet. The reservoir was dry, with only a small puddle of water remaining in the middle of the lake. It is known that Hau Thanh hamlet has nearly 10 hectares of rice, and if it does not rain, the source of irrigation water will be very difficult.

Some rice fields in Quang Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) lack water. (Photo taken on June 21). Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Nguyen Cong Trieu - Chairman of Tay Thanh Commune People's Committee (Yen Thanh) added: Tay Thanh commune has over 20 medium and small reservoirs serving 150 hectares of summer-autumn rice, however, due to prolonged heat, over 10 reservoirs have run out of water, such as Ho Lo and Khe Giang reservoirs...

To cope with the drought, the commune will install oil pumps in Khe Cho and Khe Chuoi reservoirs to pump additional water for rice fields in Hau Thanh commune. Hundreds of mini electric pumps will be mobilized to take advantage of water sources returning to streams and creeks to pump and rescue rice.

One of the basins of Ve Vung reservoir in Dong Thanh commune has dried up, buffaloes and cows are grazing in the middle of the lake (Photo taken on June 21). Photo: Van Truong

At this time, at Ve Vung reservoir (Dong Thanh commune), many areas have exposed bottoms, buffaloes and cows have come out to the middle of the lake to eat grass. Mr. Ngo Xuan Trang - Head of Nam reservoir cluster (Yen Thanh Irrigation Enterprise) said: ReservoirSesame Guardhas a capacity of 22 million m3 of water, irrigating over 500 hectares of rice in 7 communes of Yen Thanh district. Due to the continuous heat, the water level in Ve Vung reservoir has only reached over 20% of its capacity.

Therefore, the irrigation water service is very stressful, the current solution is that Ve Vung reservoir opens the sluice gate to save water in batches, and advises people to use water reasonably. At the same time, coordinate with Phuc Thanh commune to operate 3 electric pumping stations to supplement irrigation for over 60 hectares of rice. Place field pumps to pump additional water from Quan Hai reservoir to irrigate rice areas in Ve Vung reservoir.

Don Hung Lake in Hung Thanh Commune (Yen Thanh) has no bottom (Photo taken on June 21). Photo: Van Truong

Tien Thanh commune reservoir (Yen Thanh) has been dry for many months now (Photo taken on June 21). Photo: Van Truong.

The prolonged hot weather has caused many reservoirs in Nghi Loc district to dry up. Observing at Khe Xiem reservoir in Nghi Hung commune, the water source is increasingly dry, many rice fields are lacking water. Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh - Chairman of Nghi Hung commune People's Committee said: Khe Xiem reservoir irrigates over 120 hectares of rice, but so far only over 35% of the water remains. If the hot weather continues, the last option will be to install field pumps to pump water from the reservoir to save the rice.

This year, Nghi Loc district planted over 6,000 hectares, of which over 3,700 hectares are in the reservoir area. Due to the prolonged heat, 42 reservoirs in Nghi Loc district currently only have 30-50% of the water in the reservoir. Currently, Nghi Loc district is implementing solutions using electric pumping stations, field pumps to pump water from the Cam River system, the dead-end river... to supplement the rice area in Nghi Van, Nghi Kieu, Nghi Lam communes... to reserve water in the reservoir to serve the stage of rice heading and flowering.

Nghe An has 1,061 reservoirs, of which 98 are managed by state-owned enterprises, the rest are managed by local districts and communes, with water levels reaching 40-50%. The number of reservoirs managed by local authorities has seen over 50% of their water levels decrease, reaching only 25-30%, of which many are dry. In the face of the above situation, to proactively prevent, combat and overcome the consequences caused by water shortages and droughts.

Khe Xiem Reservoir in Nghi Hung Commune (Nghi Loc) has only a little water left in the middle of the lake. Photo taken on June 20. Photo: Van Truong

Nghe An Irrigation Department has recommended that localities need to have plans to combat drought for each region, strictly manage water resources, prevent leakage and water loss of reservoirs, have specific plans to arrange irrigation schedules such as rotational irrigation, water saving; at the same time, direct localities to review plans to adjust production seasons, crop and livestock structures suitable for water sources, and guide localities to switch to planting some suitable crops in areas with difficulties in water sources.

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