Irrigation lake lacks soil

Quang Nam Loc Dai irrigation lake in Que Hiep commune, Que Son district is behind schedule by more than two years due to lack of fill, affecting the water supply for production in two communes.

The Loc Dai irrigation reservoir project started construction in 2018, with a total investment of VND291 billion. With a capacity of over 4.2 million m3, the reservoir is expected to supply water to 500 hectares of agricultural land, improve livelihoods, and reduce poverty for people in Que Hiep and Que Thuan communes, Que Son district. The reservoir also contributes to preventing flash floods in the upstream, reducing flooding in the downstream and densely populated areas.

According to the plan, the project was completed in December 2020, but so far only the spillway and a main canal section of more than 100 m (the designed canal is 5 km long) have been completed. At the construction site, construction machinery has rusted after not being used for a long time. Currently, only workers and trucks of a quartz mining company are allowed in and out.

The new Loc Dai irrigation reservoir has just built an overflow culvert, the remaining items are unfinished. Photo: Dac Thanh — The new Loc Dai irrigation reservoir has just built an overflow culvert, the remaining items are unfinished. Photo: *Dac Thanh*

Mr. Tran Hai, Que Hiep commune, cultivates 10 sao of rice fields about 500 m from the project. He said that at first, the construction unit brought a lot of machinery and workers, but stopped at the end of 2021. "The project is unfinished, so in the past three years, the water canals have often been filled up and eroded, unable to be brought to the fields. Every time it was filled up, people reported it to the construction unit, but it was only fixed a few days later," said Mr. Hai.

The project's delay in completion also affects the supply of water for production to the people. Previously, at the location where the reservoir was being built, people blocked the stream to bring water to serve 50 hectares of rice. However, during the dry season, the stream water dried up, so there was not enough to produce summer-autumn rice, leading to crop failure. If the project is completed, water will be stored to supply for cultivation during the dry season.

The construction unit's machinery was covered with grass and trees due to not working for a long time. Photo: Dac Thanh — The construction unit's machinery was covered with grass and trees due to not working for a long time. Photo: *Dac Thanh*

Explaining the delay, Mr. Ho Huy Quynh, Head of Project Management Department 2, Quang Nam Province Construction Project Management Board, said it was due to a lack of fill soil. To build a 672 m long dam, nearly 800,000 m3 of soil was needed. The province had planned three soil mines, but when it came to construction, the people did not agree to let them be exploited. The Management Board asked the province to allow the planning of new mines, and the dam construction is expected to begin in 2024.

The project is also delayed due to land clearance issues, as nearly 70 hectares of forest land must be reclaimed and about 1,300 graves must be relocated. "There are still 6.5 hectares of forest land in the lake bed that are being disputed by local residents and are being sued in court," said Mr. Quynh.

Faced with the above difficulties, Mr. Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of Quang Nam province, extended the project completion time to December 31, 2025.