Saving water for agricultural production
(Baonghean) -This year, the total rainfall is lower than the same period last year, and the rainy season ended earlier than usual, so at present, the water level in reservoirs is only about 60-70% of the designed capacity. Not to mention summer-autumn production, but in the immediate future, from this spring crop, the risk of drought is completely possible, if we do not take effective measures right now.
This year, the situation is complicated, so it is predicted that drought may occur during the spring crop, so saving water is an issue of concern for units and localities. Mr. Nguyen Don Luc (Da Son - Do Luong) said: "Currently, we are focusing on planting according to the crop schedule. The water source is currently sufficient, however, there is often a drought during the rice-growing period, so all people are conscious of using water economically, not wasting, and saving water for the summer-autumn crop."
With the task of providing irrigation water for 28,000 hectares of rice in the four districts of Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Dien Chau and Quynh Luu, the Northern Irrigation System plays a very important role in contributing to the success of agricultural production in this key rice area of the province. Mr. Ho Ngoc Mai - Director of the Northern Irrigation One Member Co., Ltd. said: Currently, at the head of the Northern Irrigation System, Bara Do Luong, the flow rate is only 31m3/second, lower than the design of 6m3/second, due to the large amount of sediment in the canal. To ensure enough water for production, the company has developed a plan for alternating irrigation and continues to hire dredgers to dredge this 1.8 km long canal system. However, according to Mr. Mai, along with a reasonable water service plan, the unit also focuses on promoting farmers to use water economically, and at the same time requires localities to have plans to change crop structures, and resolutely not sign irrigation contracts with areas that do not ensure proactive water sources, especially in the summer-autumn crop.
Nghi Loc farmers sow seedlings for spring crop.
At Bara Nam Dan - the focal point of the Southern Irrigation System, according to information from the provincial Irrigation Department, on the morning of January 24, 2013, the water level here was only 1.1m compared to the design of 1.15m. This is unusual compared to previous years, because according to experts, the dry season of Lam River usually begins in May of the solar calendar. In recent years, the water source has been poor and the weather has been unusual, but it was not until February and March that the water level dropped this low. That also means that this year the risk of drought will be very high. Therefore, from now on, Nam Irrigation One Member Co., Ltd. has come up with a plan to save irrigation water and at the same time irrigate scientifically to ensure water for spring crop production.
As of November 30, the average rainfall in the districts was only 1,644 mm, 344 mm lower than the same period last year. Through inspection, the water source for the 2013 spring crop production was lacking compared to the demand and lower than the average of many years. It is only the beginning of the production season, but many lakes are already lacking water. Through monitoring, out of 50 lakes managed by enterprises, 18 lakes are not full of water; the lakes managed by communes and cooperatives have a capacity of only 50 - 60% of the design capacity, the water level on the banks of rivers and streams is decreasing rapidly. According to forecasts, if there is no rain in the coming time, drought will occur on a large scale. Meanwhile, with small lakes that are regulated throughout the year, they may be full of water at the beginning of the season, but if there is no rain, they will dry up and lack water at the end of the season. Especially in mountainous areas, if the weather is unfavorable, hot, no rain and the southwest wind comes early, drought at the end of the season, especially during the rice flowering period, is entirely possible.
It can be said that the possibility of drought at the end of the spring crop and summer-autumn production is something that can be seen right now. In order to use water economically and effectively, and respond well to drought, localities and irrigation units need to review and inventory water resources reasonably to have a reasonable water distribution plan, thoroughly save water for the rice-growing period, and develop a response plan when drought occurs, especially in the areas at the end of the canal, semi-mountainous areas and mountainous areas; it is necessary to arrange a reasonable crop structure and season, suitable for construction conditions and water sources, minimizing the impact of drought; irrigation units also need to operate the main sluice gates reasonably to ensure water supply, the final drainage sluices of the system (Nghi Quang, Ben Thuy, Dien Thanh, Dien Thuy sluices) must operate according to the correct procedures to prevent salinity, retain fresh water and only carry out water traffic according to the approved procedures. Pumping stations in coastal areas and areas near Lam River mouth, Cam River, Hoang Can Canal, Bung River must strictly and seriously check water quality before, during and after operation; the incident that happened in 2005 when a large area of rice seedlings died due to salt intrusion must be considered as a valuable lesson. It is necessary to operate irrigation water pumps only when the salinity concentration of the water source allows (for well-developed rice, the salinity must not exceed one part per thousand, for seedlings and young rice, it must be completely sweet). Units must strictly comply with the operating procedures of reservoirs and pumping stations, with dam areas, they must proactively plant according to plan, not plant in areas using irrigation water from reservoirs that do not ensure enough water throughout the crop.
Phu Huong
