Utilizing water resources for production.

(Baonghean)Due to its unique topography, Tan Ky is prone to drought. In the summer, the land in the communes of Dong Van, Nghia Phuc, Giai Xuan, etc., becomes barren and cracked. The local government and people have overcome this by utilizing groundwater and surface water resources to serve production and daily life.

Tan Ky has an average annual rainfall of 2000-2200mm, resulting in abundant surface water. However, Tan Ky frequently experiences droughts due to its steep terrain, narrow streams, and the lack of irrigation in many areas. The Con River, flowing through the district for 65km, plays a significant role in regulating water levels. Numerous streams throughout the district also contribute importantly to maintaining water resources for daily life and production. Among the dozens of streams of varying sizes, six have year-round flowing water: Loa Stream, La Stream, Sanh Stream, Thiem Stream, Than Stream, and Cua Stream.

The water resource challenges in Tan Ky stem from the rainy season, when water levels rise and flow rapidly, hindering transportation and even causing dangerous flooding and landslides. During the dry and hot seasons, water levels are low, and numerous sandbars and dunes stretch along the riverbed, obstructing trade and transportation. The Con River is a valuable water source for agricultural irrigation, and Tan Ky has installed dozens of pumping stations to utilize this water for production.

Converting inefficient rice paddies to pumpkin cultivation will save water.
in Nghia Hanh - Tan Ky.

To develop production, stabilize livelihoods, and serve agriculture, for many years, the district and commune authorities have proactively exploited internal resources and taken advantage of investment and assistance from the province and the central government to build and renovate the reservoir and dam system in many communes with a total water storage capacity of 47.22 million m3. Many dams have been renovated and upgraded, such as the Khe Than dam (Nghia Binh), the Khe Dau dam (Nghia Hanh), the Khe La dam (Phu Son), and the Ba Dong dam (Tan Huong)... to stabilize the water supply for irrigation and daily life for the people. In recent years, with various sources of capital and the people's efforts, Tan Ky has invested in building 281 km of canals, of which 240 km have been concreted. While in 2000, the irrigation capacity in Tan Ky only reached 3,820 hectares, by 2013 it had reached 4,557 hectares, and most of the rice-growing area in Tan Ky now has adequate irrigation. Recently, while visiting Nghia Hanh, we witnessed the spring rice crop thriving, thanks to the concrete-lined irrigation canal system.

In Nghia Hanh commune, after completing the road for transporting materials, the commune took advantage of support from higher levels to build a 5.7 km long concrete canal system running along the road. Farmers in Nghia Hanh donated 1 hectare of rice paddy land for the canal construction. Nghia Phuc, Giai Xuan, Dong Van… communes that frequently experience droughts have also recently had their dams and canals upgraded, thus reducing agricultural losses. Farmers in Nghia Thai and Nghia Hoan communes have also converted a portion of their rice paddy land to aquaculture.

Currently, research and exploration of naturally occurring mineral water sources in Tan Ky district are underway. According to preliminary results from geologists, good water sources are found at a depth of approximately 250-300m in the area bordering Quy Hop and along the Roi mountain range.

Tan Ky experiences "dryness before the sun shines, and floods before the rain falls," a harsh natural disaster, but thanks to diligent water conservation, cost savings in production, and investment in irrigation, the irrigated area is expanding, while also effectively exploiting the valuable water resources in the area.

Text and photos: Lan Chau