Necessity is the mother of invention
Due to the characteristics of mountainous districts, the terrain is rugged, so there are few small dams, and streams also have steep slopes. Therefore, storing water and preventing drought in the dry season is extremely difficult; on the other hand, preventing drought with gasoline-powered pumps and fast-speed watering is a luxury because of the high cost...
In times of need, invention is the mother of invention. For many years now, the Thai ethnic people in the western districts of Nghe An such as Que Phong, Quy Chau, Tuong Duong, and Con Cuong have had a plan to cope with drought with homemade water wheels (also known as water wheels) made of wood and bamboo that are very unique, simple, low cost, and highly effective.
In Hoa Tien 1 and Hoa Tien 2 villages of Chau Tien commune (Quy Chau district), people living along the Hieu river have fields that are mainly sandy soil, and using a water pump can only last for a day or two. Poor people do not have money to buy a water pump, and it costs a lot of gas. And, the way to fight drought with homemade water wheels is simple, low cost, but much more effective.
Mr. Sam Van Tam, Hoa Tien I village, said: "Water wheels have been around since our ancestors' time. Making water wheels is not difficult. The tools are simple and can be completed in 2 to 3 days. The cost is also lower. In the village, there are an average of 70-80 water wheels to irrigate more than 40 hectares of rice fields."
Each water wheel is estimated to cost around 2-3 million VND. A normal water wheel can be used for 2 years, then repaired and can be used again. The water wheel is very convenient for bringing water to irrigate dry fields in high places.
All year round, the image of water wheels like giant wheels, slowly rotating regularly on both banks of Hieu River has become very familiar to locals as well as visitors from all over. The image of water wheels is very unique and strange, so many visitors also linger to take pictures as souvenirs next to the water wheels. Water wheels have become a characteristic of Thai people in the western districts of Nghe An.
The water wheels are cleverly designed from materials from the mountains and forests such as bamboo. The water wheels of the mountain people have become unique homemade irrigation works, serving agricultural production and preventing drought for the people here.
Mr. Sam Van Tuc - Vice Chairman of Chau Tien Commune People's Committee (Quy Chau District), said: "Chau Tien Commune has nearly 280 hectares of rice land, of which about half is often lacking water, ensuring irrigation water by irrigation canals is impossible, people make their own water wheels to fight drought very well, saving costs for building irrigation systems, with these water wheels people have solved the difficulty for the government in fighting drought".
Water wheel...for tourism
In recent years, an unexpected effect of water wheels is that tourists everywhere are interested in seeing them because of their uniqueness and strangeness. When seeing water wheels, many tourists have lingered by the streams and creeks in the western districts of Nghe An to take photos and film as souvenirs... Therefore, some localities have taken advantage of this to maximize the effect of water wheels. And, in addition to getting water to fight drought, water wheels have unexpectedly become a tool to help people do tourism.
Pioneers in making “multi-purpose” water wheels are Yen Na and Yen Hoa communes, Tuong Duong district. Here, along the peaceful Cha Ha stream, there are hundreds of water wheels close together, creating a very beautiful and poetic scene to welcome visitors.
Mr. Vi Thanh Tung – Chairman of Yen Na Commune People’s Committee, confided that, since ancient times, people have known how to make water wheels to irrigate the fields along Cha Ha stream. Indeed, water wheels are “machines” that do not cost much but are “environmentally friendly” that the people of the mountainous region have created to help fight drought effectively.
“In recent years, we have found that this landscape is very beautiful, attracting many tourists to come and take pictures... so the commune has discussed with the people to invest in more wooden bridges, rest huts and food service to attract tourists in the summer, developing local ecological community tourism” - Mr. Vi Thanh Tung added.
Not far away, in Yen Hoa commune, the most impressive thing is that the Thai people here have also started to know how to do tourism, relying on the landscape and cultural life and customs to attract tourists. Now, tourists coming to Yen Hoa are fascinated by the fields full of grain, with nearly 50 water wheels awake day and night with the Cha Ha river, there is also the beautiful Sang Le forest in Yen Tan village and the songs and dances of Thai girls. Many people believe that with the advantage of landscape, Yen Hoa will be one of the most prominent community tourism destinations in Western Nghe An in the near future.
When talking about water wheels, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien - Vice Chairman of Tuong Duong District People's Committee, highly expects that, in addition to the great effect of drought prevention, in the future, water wheels will continue to be promoted by localities in the district to attract tourists and develop tourism. "In the coming time, we will have a plan to direct communes, coordinate with units experienced in community tourism, eco-tourism to create tours to attract tourists by combining many places, from culture to landscape, including the water wheel complex to promote tourism development in the district" - Mr. Hien said.
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