Highland districts block streams to drain water to save rice
(Baonghean.vn) - The continuous heat wave in recent days has caused many rice fields in the mountainous districts of Quy Chau and Que Phong to lack water. Irrigation management units and farmers have had to block streams to drain water, using field oil pumps to concentrate on fighting the drought and saving the rice.
At this time, in Tien Phong commune (Que Phong) Many rice fields are suffering from severe drought, Que Phong irrigation branch has deployed the installation of 2 field pumps to take water from Nam Viec stream to pump water for 8 hectares of rice fields in Na Cay village which is suffering from drought. In addition, in Dan village and Phuong Tien village, Tien Phong commune, people also use 45 small oil pumps to pump additional support for the drought area.
Mr. Sam Tu - Vice Chairman of Tien Phong Commune People's Committee said: The whole commune has 297 hectares of rice, currently 165 hectares of rice are suffering from drought. In addition to using water pumps to save rice, the whole commune also uses 122 water wheels to get water for irrigation. This year's spring crop has had a record drought right from the beginning of the crop. Due to little rain, most streams and creeks have run out of water. The commune had to mobilize people to build temporary dams and block water in the Nam Viec stream to have a water source for the field pumps to operate.
Mr. Tran Manh Tuong - Director of Que Phong irrigation branch said: Que Phong district planted over 2,400 hectares of spring rice, since the beginning of March, the unit had to deploy 3 pumps to irrigate rice for some drought-affected areas. But from April 15 until now, the intense heat has lasted, making the drought situation even more severe, currently there are over 250 hectares of rice suffering from drought, concentrated in Quang Phong, Tien Phong communes, Kim Son town...
Up to now, the unit has coordinated with local authorities in the communes to install 5 more machines, bringing the total to 8 field oil pumps of 16-24 horsepower at the locations of streams and creeks. Each field pumping session lasts from 12-15 days, irrigation staff in conjunction with local people squeeze and direct water to the fields. However, in the coming days, the hot weather will continue to increase the area of drought.
Also in the same situation, Quy Chau district is facing an equally severe drought. Currently, in some communes such as Chau Thuan and Chau Thang, there is no water source for pumping from streams and creeks.
A representative of the Quy Chau Irrigation Branch added: The entire Quy Chau district has over 1,600 hectares of spring rice, currently 175 hectares of rice are affected by drought. Since the beginning of April, the unit has deployed 7 field pumps to pump water for rice irrigation in the communes of Chau Tien, Chau Thuan, Chau Thang, Chau Binh... The pumps operate 24/7, each pumping period lasts 10-12 days. In addition, people in Quy Chau district also use over 200 water wheels placed in streams and creeks to get water for rice irrigation.
However, the biggest difficulty facing the two remote districts of Que Phong and Quy Chau is that the water sources in streams and creeks have almost dried up, and many places have been unable to use rice-wheels or pumps. If the hot weather continues in the coming days, many rice fields will be completely lost.