Difficult to find a way to deal with water hyacinth on the river

The situation of water hyacinth floating and growing densely on the Vinh Dinh River, especially after the rainy season, has become a nightmare for the authorities and people living on both sides of the river for many years. Not only does it block the flow and affect agricultural development, but this type of water hyacinth also poses a risk of disease outbreaks, polluting water sources, causing significant economic and public health damage.

People salvage duckweed to clear the flow - Photo: NP

People in Quang Dien village in particular and Trieu Dai commune, Trieu Phong district in general are no stranger to the situation of water hyacinth floating, growing densely, covering the Vinh Dinh riverbed flowing through the area. Located in the middle of the source, every year, a lot of water hyacinth floats here. Especially after the unusual flood in mid-June, water hyacinth quickly grew again.

This type of water hyacinth has long been present in the province due to being imported from the southern provinces as animal feed and fertilizer; many people release water hyacinth into ponds to provide shelter from the sun for aquatic products. Water hyacinth drifts with the current, gets stuck in some places and reproduces at a dizzying speed. In no time, small water hyacinth plants have sprouted up all over the river, “attacking” the canal system, rivers and lakes.

Mang Bridge crosses Vinh Dinh River, located in Quang Dien village, Trieu Dai commune, in addition to serving agricultural production, it also meets the regular travel needs of thousands of people and vehicles from the three communes of Trieu Dai, Trieu Do, and Trieu Thuan passing through every day.

Built in 1986, the bridge has only been maintained on the surface once in 2002. Meanwhile, the bridge's footings show signs of serious deterioration, with cracked concrete, revealing rusted steel. The narrow distance between the bridge's feet creates conditions for water hyacinth to get stuck and grow uncontrollably.

According to the reporter's observation, the water fern forms a carpet with a thickness of 1.5 m - 3 m. The water fern causes blockage of water flow, difficulty in irrigation, increases evaporation, directly affecting 500 hectares of rice fields of people in Trieu Hoa, Trieu Dai, Trieu Long communes.

In addition, water hyacinth also reduces biodiversity and is a place that harbors all kinds of pathogens. As a resident of Quang Dien village, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan said that he often witnessed water hyacinth floating from upstream and growing on the river surface.

“The duckweed drifts back and gets stuck here. Sometimes when we salvage it, we find rotten animal carcasses. The stench is unbearable and the households around here don’t dare go out. This type of duckweed really pollutes the environment,” said Mr. Tuan.

More dangerously, on days when the water level rises, the water fern sticks together and floats, putting a lot of pressure on this old bridge. This affects people's travel. Ms. Tran Thi Kim Cuc, Trieu Thuan commune, said: "I often cross this bridge. It's fine when it's dry, but when a storm passes by, I'm very worried. With a large amount of water fern accumulating here, if there is no timely solution, it could create pressure and cause this bridge to collapse at any time."

It is known that recently, although the locality has focused human resources and funds to collect duckweed from the river. Hundreds of blocks of duckweed have been collected; the duckweed on both sides of the river is piled up like mountains, but the result is just a drop in the ocean. In places where duckweed has just been collected, the water is clearly black and smells fishy due to the rotten roots and remains of the duckweed that have accumulated over time.

Vice Chairman of Trieu Dai Commune People's Committee Tran Thien Phong said that the unusual flood in mid-June caused severe flooding in the locality, with hundreds of hectares of rice damaged. One of the main causes is still the water hyacinth that blocks the flow of Vinh Dinh River, the section running through the commune. Normally, twice a year in October and November, the locality will use the unit's fund or socialized resources to organize the salvage of water hyacinth, each salvage session lasting from 3 to 4 days. However, at the end of June this year, the water hyacinth had to be salvaged.

“Local authorities are very concerned about the damage caused by water hyacinth to life and socio-economic development in the area. Therefore, we recommend that competent authorities first study the plan to build a new or upgrade Mang bridge so that people can travel with peace of mind. At the same time, there should be a plan to completely handle the situation of water hyacinth floating in rivers, lakes, and canals, creating conditions for farmers to produce more conveniently,” Mr. Phong suggested.

Nam Phuong

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/nan-giai-tim-cach-xu-ly-beo-luc-binh-tren-song-194569.htm