Binh Thuan Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited: "Exceeding the limit" for a bumper harvest.

With hundreds of kilometers of canals acting as "extended arms," ​​the reservoirs' actual irrigated area has been increased significantly compared to their initial irrigation design capacity.

Ca Giay Lake during the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) 2026

"Reserves" for the dry season

It's not even December yet, but the sun in the old La Gi and Ham Tan areas already has the colors of Tet (Vietnamese New Year). It's as if, after unusually heavy rains, the sky is brighter than usual, and the Nui Dat reservoir is fuller than expected, even without receiving any water transfers from the Song Dinh reservoir. In reality, the Nui Dat reservoir has struggled to fill up in previous years. This is because the area receives little rainfall, and the Song Dinh - Nui Dat water transfer canal is made of sand, making it prone to landslides during the rainy season, affecting water transfer during the dry season. Furthermore, because the Song Dinh reservoir upstream is still in its first phase, the water supply is sometimes insufficient. Therefore, this change is noteworthy, especially during the dry season, which coincides with the winter-spring crop season, when pests and diseases are less prevalent, and sufficient water would lead to a bountiful harvest.

According to data from the La Gi - Ham Tan Branch of the Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited, by the end of December 2025, the usable capacity of Nui Dat reservoir will be 7.9 million ^m³ , Song Dinh 3 reservoir 12.59 million ^m³ , and Song Phan reservoir 2.91 million ^m³ . Thanks to this, the plan for supplying water for domestic use to communes and wards in the area and for the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop production is favorable, and it is predicted that there will be no water rationing like in previous years.

Canal 812 - Chau Ta diverts water to Song Quao Lake.

Most notably, because water is not diverted to Nui Dat Lake, Song Dinh 3 Lake has more water to transfer via the main East Canal to Son My commune through Co Kieu Dam, providing water for domestic use in this drought-stricken area and for the production of 183 hectares of winter-spring rice, an increase of about 60 hectares compared to the same season last year. Overall, the plan for three crops in 2026 is also more secure with approximately 2,500 hectares, of which nearly 1,800 hectares are for rice, and the remainder for dragon fruit and other fruit trees.

If even in this area, considered to have an incomplete irrigation network, the situation is so favorable. Therefore, in other areas where the network is largely complete, the amount of water stored in reservoirs should be much more manageable. Notably, this year, due to unusually heavy rainfall in multiple periods, the irrigation reservoirs have repeatedly overflowed and required emergency flood releases. However, despite all this, the reservoirs have remained undamaged and most are now full. Thanks to this, the southeastern region of the province will be able to meet its production targets for the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop. This doesn't even account for the possibility that if rice prices rise, farmers might increase production, exceeding their targets, given the water reserves already accumulated in the interconnected river and canal system from the two unusual rainfall events in November and December 2025.

Long Song - Da Bac Water Supply Canal

Extending the water storage area

The prediction of flexible production is a familiar one. In this region, where rainwater must be carefully conserved for use during the dry season, the solution of diverting water from surplus basins to water-scarce basins has been implemented by the former Binh Thuan province for many years. As a result, by now, about 30 reservoirs in the area are proactively filled with water, ready for use during the dry season.

Lake Nui Dat is full of water at the end of the year.

Furthermore, during the water transfer process, the irrigation network, spanning hundreds of kilometers of canals, acts as an "extended arm," helping reservoirs increase their actual irrigated area significantly compared to their initial design capacity. Some reservoirs have nearly doubled their designed capacity, such as the Ca Giay reservoir, designed to irrigate 3,965 hectares, but actually irrigating 6,200 hectares, an increase of 2,235 hectares, or 56%, compared to the design. It's easy to imagine the Song Luy reservoir receiving water from the Dai Ninh hydropower plant. The 812 - Chau Ta canal, nearly 33 km long, transfers water from the Song Luy reservoir to irrigate the fields it passes through, belonging to the former Bac Binh and Ham Thuan Bac districts. Therefore, the water stored in the reservoirs only represents a fraction of their actual irrigation capacity. Similarly, the Song Quao reservoir is the same. With a designed irrigation area of ​​8,120 hectares, the actual irrigated area is 10,200 hectares, an increase of 2,080 hectares, or 26%, compared to the reservoir's design, thanks to the canal system extending over time to the surrounding plains.

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Over the past period, the company has equipped itself with a specialized meteorological and hydrological monitoring system, enabling it to proactively provide warnings, ensure timely operation, guarantee the safety of the structure, and minimize flooding in downstream areas.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Hue, General Director of the Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited.

Other smaller reservoirs also saw a significant increase in actual irrigated area compared to the initial irrigation design. Specifically, Ba Bau reservoir was designed to irrigate 2,700 hectares, but actually irrigated 3,710 hectares, an increase of 1,010 hectares; Du Du reservoir was designed to irrigate 410 hectares, but actually irrigated 980 hectares, an increase of 570 hectares; Song Phan reservoir was designed to irrigate 670 hectares, but actually irrigated 900 hectares, an increase of 460 hectares; Nui Dat reservoir was designed to irrigate 420 hectares, but actually irrigated 880 hectares, an increase of 460 hectares, representing a 110% increase compared to the design… In addition, the Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited strictly managed water resources, directed rational production, and strengthened maintenance and repair of the works to reduce the cost of restoration and upgrading from the state budget. Thanks to a reliable water supply, farmers have actively developed production, rapidly increased the area of ​​reclaimed land, promoted the shift in crop structure, and formed many new production areas.

Looking back, the total cultivated area has increased from 27,300 hectares in 1992 to over 115,000 hectares today, a rise of 87,700 hectares. The lessons learned from the unusual storms and floods of 2025 highlight the need for continued investment in this Southeast region. This includes the need for further investment in infrastructure projects to complete the irrigation network in the areas under the jurisdiction of the La Ngà, La Gi - Hàm Tân, and Hàm Thuận Nam irrigation branches.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/cong-ty-tnhh-mtv-khai-thac-cong-trinh-thuy-loi-binh-thuan-vuot-nguong-cho-boi-thu-421898.html