Proactive measures to ensure irrigation water supply and combat saltwater intrusion affecting crops.

In the last days of February, in the coastal district of Hau Loc, farmers are busy tending to and watering 6,200 hectares of crops for the 2025 spring-summer season, including more than 4,500 hectares of rice.

The Chau Loc pumping station (in Trieu Loc commune), managed by the Hau Loc Irrigation Branch, pumps water to irrigate more than 1,000 hectares of crops.

By February 2025, Hau Loc district's irrigation system had 568.99 km of canals. Of this, the Hau Loc District Irrigation Branch managed 90.42 km; canals managed by communes accounted for 478.57 km, ensuring irrigation and drainage for over 6,000 hectares of agricultural land. Regarding canals managed by the district irrigation branch, only 29.93 km have been reinforced, the rest are earthen canals; for canals within communes and towns, only 286.74 km have been reinforced with concrete and brick, the rest are earthen canals and are therefore prone to sedimentation and erosion. The cross-sections of drainage canals are narrowed due to trees encroaching on the riverbeds and canals. Floating debris on rivers and canals (water hyacinth) obstructs water flow...

To ensure sufficient irrigation water for the people in the area during the 2025 spring-summer crop season, the People's Committee of Hau Loc district has focused on directing communes to continue dredging irrigation canals, water intake gates, and water storage canals for pumping stations; managing freshwater resources for efficient and economical irrigation; preparing diesel pumps to combat localized drought; and reviewing and converting some areas of coastal crops frequently affected by salinity to aquaculture. From mid-2024, Hau Loc district launched the first phase of irrigation work in 2024 across communes and towns. As a result, the entire district has excavated and constructed inter-commune and field canals with a total volume of 33,680 m³ of mud and soil (a 34% increase compared to the plan assigned by the Provincial People's Committee) and cleared 535,010 m² of water hyacinth and grass (a 7% increase compared to the plan assigned by the Provincial People's Committee). By December 2024, Hau Loc district had launched a campaign involving all communes, towns, and units in the area to simultaneously carry out the second phase of irrigation work in 2024. Immediately after the district launched the campaign, localities and units concentrated manpower; mobilized vehicles, machinery, and equipment to clear weeds, water spinach, and waste causing blockages in the irrigation and drainage canal systems. The entire district mobilized 34,806 man-days to dredge 45.9km of inter-commune canals and 106.8km of field canals, with a total volume of 30,057m3 of excavated and filled soil. Proactive clearing of weeds and removal of aquatic plants on inter-district, inter-commune, and field canals, covering an area of ​​362,927 m2... Simultaneously, clearing of trees and waste along the irrigation infrastructure corridors, restoring unobstructed space in the canals and corridors, contributing to improved irrigation and drainage efficiency, serving agricultural production, preventing natural disasters, and creating a bright, green, clean, and beautiful environment.

The People's Committee of Hau Loc district has focused on directing communes and the Hau Loc Irrigation Branch to continue dredging the main canals, water intake gates, and water storage canals for the operation of pumping stations; managing freshwater resources for efficient and economical irrigation; preparing diesel pumps to combat localized drought; and reviewing and converting some areas of coastal crops frequently affected by salinity to aquaculture. Units and localities in Hau Loc district have implemented comprehensive solutions to overcome difficulties and combat drought and salinity intrusion during the 2025 spring-summer crop season. Communes in the eastern De Canal area have dug and constructed inland drainage canals to proactively store freshwater for agricultural production when the water supply is affected by salinity intrusion.

Present at the Hau Loc Irrigation Branch - the unit contracted to provide irrigation water for farmers planting and cultivating 4,500 hectares of rice in the spring-summer crop season of 2025 in the district. “In December 2024, saltwater intrusion penetrated deep into the coastal area of ​​Hau Loc, reaching a salinity of 4 parts per thousand at the Loc Dong sluice gate. The branch directed its subordinate irrigation teams and clusters to assign staff to work 24/7 shifts at pumping stations and water intake gates along the Len River, checking salinity every 15 minutes. This allowed them to quickly open and close the sluice gates when freshwater became available, while operating the pumping stations along the Len River at full capacity. Water was drawn from the Loc Dong sluice gate, and the return water from Hoang Hoa district through the hospital sluice gate into the Tra Giang River was utilized to provide irrigation water for rice cultivation in communes and towns, especially during hot weather when the rice is heading and flowering. Currently, the entire area of ​​spring-summer crops in the district has sufficient water for planting and irrigation, and the crops are growing and developing well,” shared Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chinh, Director of the Hau Loc Irrigation Branch.

Over the past few months, the Hau Loc Irrigation Branch has proactively developed and implemented specific plans to provide irrigation water for the spring-summer crop. For areas predicted to experience drought and localized water shortages, the branch has planned to install diesel pumps and mobile pumps to supply water. They have proactively inspected and assessed the production capacity of 26 pumping stations to repair damage, prepare necessary materials and equipment, and ensure 100% of the pumping stations are operating properly when needed. They have assigned staff and workers to work in shifts at the main irrigation works, main canal systems, and to dredge the suction basins, supply canals, and irrigation canals of the pumping stations and irrigation ditches of the systems to ensure smooth water flow from the source to the fields. The branch has dredged 23.4 km of canals under its management, and excavated over 10,000 m³ of mud and soil from the suction basins and supply canals of the pumping stations. 50,300 m2 of grass and aquatic plants are used to facilitate water flow from the main water source to the fields, enabling proactive pumping and storage of freshwater early and in sufficient quantities for the operation of the on-field pumping stations.

In order to enable coastal communes in Hau Loc district to proactively supply freshwater for irrigation, Thanh Hoa province and Hau Loc district have invested in the construction of several irrigation projects in the district. Typical examples include completed projects that have been put into use: the reinforcement of the canal from Hau Loc village pumping station to Hoa Loc commune; the reinforcement of the Lien Hoa canal (Hoa Loc commune); the reinforcement of the irrigation canal in Thuan Loc commune; and the reinforcement of the Ha Xoan canal (Cau Loc commune)... effectively utilizing investment capital to provide irrigation water for crops.

Text and photos: Thu Hoa

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/chu-dong-phuc-vu-nuoc-tuoi-and-chong-xam-nhap-man-cay-trong-240750.htm