Quang Ngai strengthens measures to prevent heat, drought and water shortage

To prevent and combat drought and salinity intrusion, Quang Ngai province requires localities and units to urgently dredge and clear canals, reservoirs, and silted dams to increase water storage capacity to serve summer-autumn crop production.

Nuoc Trong Lake has a large water storage scale in Quang Ngai - Photo: VGP/Luu Huong

The Quang Ngai Provincial Hydrometeorological Station forecasts that from March to August, rainfall in the area will be lower than the average of many years. The prolonged heat waves mainly concentrated from April to June will cause the water level in the rivers to gradually decrease, leading to a high risk of water shortage for people's lives and summer-autumn crop production.

Meanwhile, many lakes and dams in the province were built a long time ago and are now degraded, making it difficult to store water for production. According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ngai province, out of a total of 807 lakes and dams in the area, 196 were built before 1989.

In the past, with various sources of capital, the province has invested in, repaired and upgraded about 58 reservoirs, and is currently investing in, repairing and upgrading 11 reservoirs. However, there are still 21 reservoirs that are damaged and seriously degraded.

According to the plan, in the 2024 Summer-Autumn crop, the total agricultural production area in Quang Ngai is more than 49,727 hectares, including more than 34,754 hectares of rice and 14,974 hectares of other crops. It is expected that the total agricultural production area likely to be affected by drought is more than 3,000 hectares, including about 2,000 hectares of rice and the rest are other crops.

Tra Bong saltwater barrier dam - Photo: VGP/Luu Huong

Mr. Vo Quoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ngai province, said that to combat drought in the summer-autumn crop, the locality will make the most of surface water and underground water to store in ponds, lakes, submerged canals, and drainage canals, serving timely and effective drought combat. Regulate and distribute water promptly to drought-affected areas.

Apply rotational irrigation measures, prioritizing remote areas first and nearby areas later; ensure water according to demand and suitable for the growth and development period of crops; prioritize water supply for domestic use, industry, drinking water for livestock and key rice areas.

Areas that regularly lack domestic water such as Ly Son district, the eastern part of Binh Son district, coastal communes of Mo Duc district, Duc Pho town, etc. will carry out construction of extended water supply pipelines, drilling wells to get water from deep layers, gradually replacing water sources from shallow layers in areas depleted due to drought.

In production areas experiencing large-scale drought, install field pump clusters along rivers to supply water to combat drought. Close wells and install electric pumping stations in irrigation areas to combat drought; dredge and repair canals to prevent water leakage and seepage, and limit saltwater intrusion. Localities will also speed up the construction, repair and restoration of irrigation works to promptly put them into use and load water for production in 2024.

Urgently organize dredging of canals, reservoirs and dams that have been silted up.

Implementing the Prime Minister 's Directive on strengthening measures to prevent and combat heat waves, drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion, on April 16, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province Tran Phuoc Hien issued an official dispatch directing the strengthening of measures to prevent and combat heat waves, droughts, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion.

Accordingly, to ensure water sources for people's lives and agricultural production, the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province requires the People's Committees of districts, towns, cities, and Quang Ngai Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited to seriously implement drought and water shortage prevention work.

Urgently organize dredging and clearing of canals, reservoirs, and silted dams to restore and increase water storage capacity, combined with the recovery of construction materials according to legal regulations, ensuring timely water loading for summer-autumn production in 2024.

Luu Huong

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