Proactively respond and ensure dam safety during the 2025 storm season

In the context of complicated weather conditions and increasingly extreme storms due to the impact of climate change, the work of ensuring dam safety in the province is receiving special attention from all levels, sectors and local authorities, proactively and synchronously implementing many solutions to minimize risks and protect people's lives and property.

Before the 2025 storm season, authorities have inspected and evaluated the safety coefficient of dams and reservoirs in the province.

64 dam projects are in disrepair.

According to statistics, Phu Tho province currently has 1,541 dams and reservoirs of all kinds, including 16 large dams, 60 medium dams and 1,465 small dams, with a total capacity to irrigate more than 41,000 hectares of agricultural land. This dam system plays a particularly important role in ensuring water security, serving production and daily life, and also has the function of regulating floods during the rainy and stormy season.

However, through inspection and assessment by professional agencies, there are still 64 damaged and degraded dams in the province that need to be renovated and upgraded to ensure safe operation. Among them, many have existed for many years, are leaking water, have subsided, have damaged sluice valves, and are at high risk of dam failure if not handled promptly.

Comrade Bui Quoc Hoan, Chairman of Lien Son Commune People's Committee (right) reported on the situation and issues related to the safety of the Nganh reservoir project during storm No. 3 (Wipha) to Comrade Dinh Cong Su, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Typically, the Nganh reservoir project in Lien Son commune is currently facing a serious risk of insecurity. Through monitoring, the authorities discovered that in the Doi Vong area, a large sliding block with an area of about 100m x 70m, 10m deep, has a tendency to push up towards the lake's flood spillway. The horizontal crack at the foot of the hill is from 20cm to 80cm deep, the deepest point is up to 150cm, the total volume of soil and rock that can collapse is estimated to be up to 380,000m3. There are currently 29 households living at the foot of the hill. Meanwhile, the dam of the lake itself has shown signs of strong water seepage and subsidence around the water intake valve house. The water level flowing through the regulating valve is currently very small, the cause is unknown, and there is a potential risk of the dam breaking at any time.

Comrade Bui Quoc Hoan, Chairman of Lien Son Commune People's Committee, said: To ensure the safety of people in the Nganh hamlet area, the People's Committee of Luong Son district (old) has included the Nganh lake project in the 2025 Public Investment Plan, with a total estimated investment of 30 billion VND. The project has been approved by the District People's Council and the District People's Committee has approved the investment plan, assigning the District Construction Project Management Board as the investor to carry out the next steps.

Be proactive in ensuring safety during the rainy season

Not only Nganh Lake, many other dams and lakes in the province are also being inspected, reinforced and included in the renovation plan by the authorities. During a recent field inspection, Mr. Dinh Cong Su, Vice Chairman of Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee, directly inspected a series of vulnerable points at high risk of landslides and dam breaks during the storm season in Lien Son, Cao Duong and Luong Son communes. Through the inspection, he requested localities to strictly implement the "4 on-site" motto, fully prepare rescue means and materials, and develop plans to evacuate residents in dangerous areas when dangerous natural disaster situations occur.

In Cao Duong commune, the dike system and drainage pumping station for hundreds of hectares of rice and crops are also being urgently reinforced. Comrade Bui Xuan Hung, Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, said: To ensure the safety of the dike during this year's storm season, we have directed the people's dike management team to regularly check weak points, especially the area where the Xuan Duong drainage pumping station is being repaired. The locality also organizes the clearing of trees on the dike roof to avoid the risk of landslides, ensuring the stability of the dike body when the Thanh Ha River water rises.

Xuan Duong pumping station staff operate the pumping system to drain water when Thanh Ha river water rises.

In addition, to improve the effectiveness of directing and preventing natural disasters, provincial leaders have also directly inspected the actual situation at key locations and points and closely directed the work of preventing natural disasters and ensuring the safety of dams and reservoirs. For example, when directly inspecting Da Mai Lake in Cu Dong Commune, Suoi Cai Lake in Thanh Son Commune, Comrade Phan Trong Tan - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested the People's Committees of communes and the Department of Agriculture and Environment to urgently handle the key locations of the works. Especially the water seepage incident at the right shoulder of Suoi Cai dam and the seepage of the downstream slope, which can cause great danger if there is prolonged heavy rain.

As a large-capacity reservoir, although built a long time ago, the Dong Chanh reservoir project in Luong Son commune has had its dam roof reinforced with concrete, so it is still assessed by authorities to ensure safety during the 2025 storm season.

Faced with increasingly complex natural disasters, all levels and sectors of Phu Tho province are actively implementing the Government's direction in reviewing, updating and supplementing legal regulations on dam safety management. The new draft decree replacing Decree 114/2018/ND-CP is being widely consulted, aiming to overcome limitations and shortcomings and strongly apply digital technology in monitoring and safely operating reservoirs in accordance with practice and with high feasibility.

With the proactive participation of the entire political system, along with synchronous technical and legal solutions, Phu Tho province is making efforts to tighten the work of ensuring dam safety not only to protect crops and property but also to preserve the safety and peace of thousands of households living around irrigation works during the 2025 storm season.

Manh Hung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/chu-dong-ung-pho-dam-bao-an-toan-ho-dap-trong-mua-mua-bao-2025-237338.htm