More than 400 reservoirs were severely damaged... but no funding was allocated for repairs or upgrades.

According to statistics from the Department of Irrigation (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), storm No. 3 and subsequent floods have severely damaged 68 reservoirs, bringing the total number of severely damaged reservoirs nationwide to 408 (62 large reservoirs, 113 medium reservoirs, 233 small reservoirs), all of which have not yet received funding for repair and upgrading.

At the Conference on Management and Operation of Irrigation Reservoirs on the afternoon of November 13th, Mr. Nguyen Dang Ha, representative of the Department of Irrigation (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), stated that the whole country has built 7,315 irrigation dams and reservoirs, including 6,723 reservoirs with a total dam length of approximately 1,182 km and a total storage capacity of approximately 15.2 billion m3. These irrigation reservoirs provide water for agricultural production, industry, and daily life, combined with flood control and serving multiple purposes such as water supply for power generation, creating space for solar power development, aquaculture, and tourism development.

Most large reservoirs with a capacity of 3 million cubic meters or more have been repaired to ensure safety. However, Typhoon No. 3 and the subsequent floods severely damaged 68 reservoirs, bringing the total number of severely damaged reservoirs nationwide to 408. Mr. Ha stated that funding has not yet been allocated for the repair and upgrading of any of these damaged reservoirs.

According to Mr. Ha, the aftermath of Typhoon No. 3 and subsequent floods have clearly revealed shortcomings in infrastructure and operation, and have also "increased challenges for the management and operation of irrigation dams and reservoirs." Currently, only 17% of reservoirs have developed emergency response plans, including 401 out of 897 large reservoirs; and only 5% have developed flood maps.

Thac Ba Hydroelectric Reservoir was inaugurated in 1962 with a water storage capacity of 3 billion cubic meters. The lake was built on the Chay River basin in Yen Bai province.

"With reservoirs, especially large reservoirs with densely populated downstream areas, if plans are not developed, when a situation arises, the response will be very passive," said Mr. Ha.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tung Phong, Director of the Department of Irrigation, following typhoon No. 3, the key issue is to improve forecasting capacity and accuracy. This will allow for the development of operational scenarios; flood release that ensures safety, minimizes downstream flooding, and maintains water levels in reservoirs to meet production needs during the dry season.

In addition, it is necessary to review the operating procedures, standards, and regulations in the design and construction of reservoirs, especially older ones. The capacity of these reservoirs should be reassessed to determine the scale and purpose of the structures in the face of extreme weather conditions. Reservoirs must ensure multiple objectives, especially ensuring production, people's livelihoods, and safety.

Faced with the challenges of unpredictable extreme rainfall and flooding in the context of climate change, pressure from socio- economic activities upstream and downstream of the dam, and the pressure to fulfill the multi-purpose exploitation tasks of the reservoir, Mr. Ha believes that solutions are needed regarding policy development and improvement.

Accordingly, the Department of Irrigation will advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to develop a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree 114/2018/ND-CP on the management of dam and reservoir safety, ensuring it is strict, effective, feasible, and in accordance with the law.

In addition, it is necessary to review and complete technical regulations, standards, norms, and exploitation norms to serve the survey, design, construction, and management of dams and reservoirs in accordance with new conditions.

In addition, the Department of Irrigation will work with other departments and divisions within the Ministry to study and resolve difficulties related to aquaculture activities in reservoirs; changes to the functions and technical parameters of structures; handling structures that have reached the end of their lifespan, are no longer needed, or are severely damaged beyond repair…

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep said that although the irrigation reservoir system in our country is large, many reservoirs have existed for 100 years, 50 years... and there are no regulations on when to stop exploitation.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep emphasized that the operation of irrigation reservoirs must ensure multiple objectives, not only for irrigating crops and storing and releasing water, but also for socio-economic development. Reservoirs must store water to ensure production, but they must also be operated safely, especially those with flood control functions.

Storm No. 3 shows that in the operation of reservoirs, especially inter-regional reservoirs, the problem arises of how to operate effectively to ensure that water in irrigation reservoirs is a resource.

"Although our country's irrigation reservoir system is large, many reservoirs have existed for 100 years, 50 years... and there are no regulations on when to stop exploiting them," Mr. Hiep added, noting that the actual capacity of reservoirs differs significantly from their designed capacity. Many reservoirs have doubled their capacity after surveys, while others are only half of their designed capacity. Furthermore, early warning and long-distance warning systems are weak and require investment in science and technology. These are major challenges in the management and operation of irrigation reservoirs.

Source: https://danviet.vn/hon-400-ho-chua-bi-hu-hong-nang-nhung-deu-chua-duoc-bo-tri-nguon-von-de-sua-chua-nang-cap-20241113203310205.htm