Inadequacies in the lake and dam system managed by localities
(Baonghean) - Nghe An is the locality with the second largest number of reservoirs in the country, including 625 reservoirs, of which 528 are managed by districts and communes. However, there are still many worrying shortcomings in the management of dams by localities.
Ba Trau reservoir in hamlet 2, Ky Tan commune (Tan Ky district) irrigates over 40 hectares of rice. However, the foundation and foot of the dam are currently leaking and cannot store water, so even during the rainy season, the reservoir runs out of water.
Ky Tan commune has 12 large and small reservoirs, providing irrigation water for 120 hectares of rice, all of which are currently seriously degraded. Since 2017, the People's Committee of Ky Tan commune has assigned 12 reservoirs to Ky Tan Agricultural Service Cooperative for management and operation. However, the irrigation staff operating the reservoirs are not formally and professionally trained, and mainly operate based on experience. Therefore, problems have occurred such as, in the dry season, irrigation water management is not reasonable, many areas still lack water. In the rainy season, management is confusing, the risk of dam failure is very high; in 2018, the Ba Chinh reservoir overflowed.
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| Ba Trau reservoir in Ky Tan, Tan Ky is degraded, the drainage system is damaged. Photo: V. Truong |
In Nghi Van commune (Nghi Loc), there are 10 reservoirs, irrigating over 300 hectares of rice, of which 6 reservoirs are seriously degraded. In particular, reservoir management here is facing many difficulties.
Although the reservoirs managed by the locality have been assigned to the Nghi Van Agricultural Service Cooperative for management, during peak periods of hot weather or the rainy season, there is still a lack of personnel to operate the reservoirs, forcing the commune to mobilize additional hamlet chiefs and militia forces to coordinate with the cooperative to operate the reservoirs. For example, in 2017, when the Trai Ga dam was at risk of breaking, the commune had to mobilize over 200 people and excavators to respond.
Lakes and dams managed by local authorities were built a long time ago and have not been maintained or repaired much, so most of them are degraded, leaking, and causing great water loss.
Many localities manage but do not have documents, survey and design records; there is no technical management process; measurement and monitoring work (monitoring flood levels, subsidence and displacement) is not fully implemented.
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| Many termite nests appeared on the dike of Hoa Son reservoir, Do Luong and the spillway was damaged. Photo: Van Truong |
Most small reservoirs lack elevation and cross-section, and many spillways are temporary and do not have enough flood discharge width. The gate and sluice joints of the water intake are damaged. Many reservoirs do not have management roads, or are of poor quality and do not meet requirements when an incident occurs. The dam body is mainly built manually, with poor compaction, and many reservoirs do not have foundations in the stream bed.
In particular, the termites in the dam body have not been fully investigated, evaluated and treated, and the system of spare parts and materials for incident handling is lacking. Due to many shortcomings and weaknesses, the risk of reservoir failure during the flood season in Nghe An is very high.
Up to this point, Nghe An province has only repaired 107 reservoirs. The remaining reservoirs are nearly 400 medium and small ones, which are at high risk of incidents when the rainy and stormy season comes.
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| Khe Khe Reservoir in Ky Tan (Tan Ky) has a collapsed and leaking dam body. Photo: Van Truong |
According to regulations, for lakes and dams with a capacity of 500,000m3or higher must be operated by qualified staff, properly and formally trained in irrigation; must establish and manage construction design documents, documents for submitting irrigation fee compensation, as well as operating plan documents, including important plans for safe operation such as protecting the dam body and draining water in downstream areas...
However, for local reservoir projects, these conditions are all “blank”. Regarding the preparation of documents to submit plans for compensation for irrigation fees, almost all localities have not implemented it, while this is the basis for receiving funding for operating reservoir and dam projects. Therefore, many projects only have managers responsible for closing and opening sluices when necessary, and some projects are even not operating.
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| Tay Thanh Reservoir, Yen Thanh, people freely wade into the lake to operate the water drainage. Photo: Van Truong |
The capacity of staff managing and operating works, especially reservoirs and dams, does not meet regulations and does not have the appropriate professional qualifications. Every year, the Provincial Irrigation Department sends official dispatches and notices inviting localities to send staff to operate reservoirs for professional training at irrigation facilities and centers. However, the communes do not send people to attend training courses...
