The Lam and Con rivers are running low, making it difficult for many pumping stations to operate.

Currently, several pumping stations along the Con River in Tan Ky and Nghia Dan districts are operating at a reduced capacity due to low water levels. Specifically, the Cay Khe pumping station (Nghia Hop commune, Tan Ky district), which is responsible for irrigating over 120 hectares of rice fields, has been experiencing unstable operation of its pumps since the beginning of the season.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuc, a worker in charge of the Cay Khe pumping station ( thuộc Tan Ky Irrigation Company Limited), said: "Recently, the water level of the Con River has dropped significantly, causing many difficulties for the station's three pumps. Currently, only one of the three pumps can operate. If this situation continues, some rice fields will be affected in terms of growth."

Not only the Cay Khe pumping station, but representatives of Tan Ky Irrigation Company Limited stated that currently, 3 out of the 6 pumping stations managed by the company are experiencing power outages. Specifically: the Vuc Dao pumping station (Nghia Dong commune) has all 3 pumps down, the Nghia Hop pumping station has 2 pumps down, and the Tan Khanh pumping station (Nghia Khanh commune, Nghia Dan district) has 2 pumps down.

In response to this situation, the unit is urgently seeking solutions. For the Vuc Dao pumping station (Nghia Dong commune), the company has implemented a plan to draw water from the Khe Da reservoir to supplement irrigation for approximately 250 hectares of rice. Additionally, the Tan Khanh pumping station (Nghia Khanh commune, Nghia Dan district) has been equipped with an additional horizontal pump and connected pipelines to ensure irrigation for over 150 hectares of spring rice.

A representative from Tan Ky Irrigation Company Limited added: "Our unit is currently irrigating over 3,500 hectares of spring rice. If the water source from the Con River is not improved in the near future, at least 150 hectares of rice will face the risk of water shortage."

The water shortage is affecting not only Tan Ky and Nghia Dan districts, but also several pumping stations in Thanh Chuong district. Although Thanh Chuong Irrigation Company Limited has proactively upgraded and added more pipes to some pumping stations, the water level of the Lam River this year has decreased by 10-15 cm compared to previous years, making it impossible for many pumping stations to operate normally.

In response to this situation, the company has urgently implemented measures such as: Adding more water intake pipes at the Ru Nguoc pumping station (Thanh Ngoc commune); and upgrading other pumping stations to adapt to lower-than-normal water levels.

According to statistics, Nghe An province currently has more than 500 pumping stations, many of which draw water directly from major rivers such as the Lam River, Hieu River, and Con River. However, this year the water flow in these rivers is lower than the average of last year, leading to difficulties in irrigation. The agricultural sector is directing localities and irrigation units to continue monitoring river water levels and implement plans to supplement water sources in a timely manner for the spring rice crop.