Many pumping stations in Nghe An are running at full capacity to combat drought and save the summer-autumn rice crop.

The 4AC pumping station system in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, is running at full capacity day and night to irrigate crops and combat drought. Mr. Nguyen Trung Chinh, head of the 4AC pumping station, said: The station manages 10 pumping stations, including 3 large ones, each with 3 pumps reaching a capacity of 3,600 m3/hour. The irrigation system serves over 1,000 hectares of rice fields in Kim Lien, Hung Tien, Xuan Lam communes and a part of Hung Dao commune (Hung Nguyen district).

These days, 10 pumping stations in the area are operating 17-20 hours a day to irrigate rice fields. The pumping period is expected to last 10-12 days, during which time workers must stay close to the irrigation canals to force water to the fields for the farmers. Currently, due to the prolonged heatwave, the water level from the Ba Ra Nam Dan system is lower than the designed level, and pumping can only be done during the day when the tide rises. Furthermore, the hot weather causes rapid water evaporation, leading to some rice fields drying up immediately after pumping.

Mr. Nguyen Son Tra, Director of the Nam Dan Irrigation Enterprise, said: The enterprise has 19 electric pumping stations located along the Lam River, irrigating 2,500 hectares of rice fields in Nam Dan district. At this time, the workers eat at the stations to operate the water pumps. Currently, there are times when the water level of the Lam River is low, making pumping work difficult.

According to a report from the Nam Dan District Department of Agriculture, the district's pumping station system currently has over 100 pumping stations operating at full capacity to irrigate 5,400 hectares of summer-autumn rice. Due to the prolonged heatwave, localized water shortages are still occurring in some communes. If it does not rain in the next few days, Nam Dan district risks drought affecting over 500 hectares of rice, concentrated in the communes of Hung Tien, Xuan Lam, Kim Lien, Nam Anh, Nam Xuan, etc.

Nam Irrigation Company Limited manages 42 pumping stations, serving irrigation for 27,000 hectares of rice fields (of which 85% are electrically pumped). Before and during pumping, the salinity of the water must be regularly checked, and pumping is absolutely prohibited when the salinity exceeds the permissible level. For some summer-autumn rice growing areas, even though they are not registered for irrigation with the company, the company still pumps water for irrigation when drought occurs.

However, the current challenge is that most of the unit's pumping stations are deteriorating. Every year, the company carries out maintenance and repairs, replacing and repairing damaged equipment as needed. Due to the old and outdated pumping station system, the pumping process requires "forced" water, which consumes more electricity and increases the number of workers needed to operate the pumps.

To cope with the drought, the unit also prepared over 20 mobile oil pumps, placing them at dead-end rivers and ponds to "save" the rice crop when necessary.

These days, the pumping station system in Yen Thanh district is also operating at full capacity. Mr. Nguyen Kien, Head of the Dai Thanh Irrigation Cluster under the Yen Thanh Irrigation Enterprise, said: "My cluster consists of 9 workers, tasked with operating 2 pumping stations to irrigate nearly 465 hectares of rice fields in 5 communes: Dai Thanh, Ly Thanh, My Thanh, Lien Thanh, and Minh Thanh. During this heatwave, the stations are rotating shifts to pump water 24/7. To achieve efficiency, we follow the principle of 'irrigating higher and farther areas first, then lower and closer areas,' ensuring that water does not overflow the canals during operation, thus preventing water waste and energy loss."

This year, Yen Thanh district planted 12,800 hectares of rice during the summer-autumn crop season. To cope with the drought, the district directed the Irrigation Enterprise and agricultural service cooperatives to proactively pump and store water in ponds, lakes, and canal systems. They mobilized forces to dredge canals and prepared mobile pumps to combat the drought; in areas at high risk of water shortage, they switched to dryland crops.

Pumping stations assign workers to operate and inspect the irrigation canals and fields, promptly regulating and distributing water appropriately to ensure sufficient irrigation water.

According to a report from the Irrigation Department, the current period is the peak time for water supply for planting and irrigating the summer-autumn rice crop of 2023. The weather conditions in the province are extremely unfavorable for production. To ensure irrigation water supply for the summer-autumn crop, Nghe An province currently has over 500 pumping stations managed by agricultural cooperatives and irrigation units. All pumping stations are currently operating at full capacity.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development requests that the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns, and the Irrigation Limited Liability Companies coordinate closely and regularly inspect the water situation, drought, and saltwater intrusion. They should direct local irrigation organizations to manage water resources, prevent leakage and water loss, and distribute water rationally and economically.

Based on the current water resources, review and supplement drought prevention plans for the summer-autumn crop season. Local authorities and units should regularly check salinity levels in rivers (especially at river mouths), canals, and at the intake basins of pumping stations, and promptly inform water users.

Strictly manage water resources, increase the use of advanced, water-saving irrigation methods for rice and dryland crops. Organize the dredging of canal systems, water intake gates, and pumping stations to ensure water flow and unobstructed access from the source to the fields, utilizing all available water sources for production.

Focus on drawing water into the system when hydroelectric reservoirs release water to increase water supply; utilize swamps, ponds, lakes, stagnant rivers, and large main canals to store water in the fields. Install mobile pumping stations, maintain machinery and equipment, and be ready to operate pumps to combat drought.

The current challenge for the pumping system in the province is that many pumping stations were built in the 1970s-1990s, resulting in deterioration, high energy consumption, and inefficient operation.