Ha Tinh proactively responds to the risk of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Tinh province directed localities and irrigation organizations to arrange enough people to open water, receive water, and regulate water in the fields in a timely manner during the water opening period to serve the 2024 Spring crop, absolutely not allowing loss or waste to occur.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh has just signed and issued an official dispatch of the Provincial People's Committee Chairman on proactively responding to the risk of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion.

According to the assessment of the provincial hydrometeorological station, the current state of the atmosphere and ocean is under El Nino conditions. From February to April, El Nino continues to maintain with a probability of over 90%, the temperature is 1.0 - 1.5 degrees Celsius higher, rainfall is likely to be lower than the average of many years (TBNN), the flow on rivers and streams is likely to be lower than the TBNN by 10 - 20%, and there is a risk of drought and water shortage from March to July.

In the immediate future, localities and irrigation organizations will arrange enough people to open water, receive water and regulate in-field water in a timely manner during the water opening period to serve the 2024 Spring crop.

Implementing the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 04/CD-TTg dated January 15, 2024 on proactively responding to the risk of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion, to proactively respond to the risk of drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion that may occur and affect production and people's lives in the dry season of 2024, based on the proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Official Dispatch No. 197/SNN-TL dated January 19, 2024, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests directors of departments, heads of provincial-level departments, branches, units, and chairmen of district, city, and town People's Committees to focus on performing well a number of specific tasks.

Accordingly, the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns organize propaganda and guide people to have proactive solutions to store fresh water, use water effectively, and thoroughly save to prevent loss and waste of water resources in conditions of drought and water shortage that may occur.

At the same time, direct specialized departments, People's Committees of communes, wards and towns to coordinate with Irrigation LLCs to review water sources, water demand of irrigation works and other related conditions, develop a water supply plan for 2024 and a detailed irrigation plan for each crop as a basis for implementation; localities and grassroots irrigation organizations arrange enough people to open water, receive water, and regulate water in the fields in a timely manner during the water opening period for the 2024 Spring crop, absolutely not allowing water loss or waste; proactively develop drought prevention plans to serve production and people's lives in the 2024 Summer-Autumn crop in accordance with local conditions; regularly coordinate with Irrigation LLCs to implement drought prevention solutions and regulate water appropriately when drought occurs.

Monitor weather developments, short-term and long-term forecasts on hydrology, water resources, risks of drought, water shortages, and saltwater intrusion from specialized agencies to develop plans to convert and adjust crop structures appropriately in conditions where droughts and water shortages may occur; calculate, adjust, and supplement water use plans and flexible water supply plans in a timely manner in response to adverse weather developments, prioritizing water sources for domestic use, livestock farming, and other key production sectors.

Direct investors to speed up construction progress, promptly complete and put into use irrigation works and domestic water supply works to proactively implement water supply solutions when drought occurs; proactively arrange local budgets to implement urgent solutions to prevent and combat drought and saltwater intrusion.

Directors of Irrigation LLCs and units assigned to manage and exploit irrigation works in the province shall preside over and coordinate with localities to review water sources, irrigation areas, water needs of irrigation works managed by the unit and other related conditions, calculate and balance, develop a water supply plan for 2024 and a detailed irrigation plan for each crop for each work to ensure accuracy and efficiency, with the spirit of utmost water saving, prioritizing water for domestic needs, livestock farming and other key production areas, and send it to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Provincial Irrigation Sub-Department) for review and comments before promulgation as a basis for implementation. During the water supply process, based on weather developments, promptly adjust and supplement accordingly; in case of drought or water shortage, maximum priority must be given to water sources for domestic water supply works.

Regularly coordinate with localities to check water levels in fields in irrigation areas to plan timely pumping and irrigation, ensuring sufficient water supply for the 2024 Spring rice crop; regulate and distribute water resources reasonably and economically, avoid water loss and waste, and reserve water for the 2024 Summer-Autumn crop.

Strengthening the management and operation of water, regulating water reasonably to reduce water loss; organizing the opening and closing of sluice gates to prevent salinity and retain fresh water reasonably; monitoring, observing and controlling salinity to create a water source that ensures quality for production and people's lives; coordinating with the provincial Electricity Department to have a plan to ensure power supply for irrigation pumping stations and especially pumping stations with water sources affected by tides.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinates with localities to review and identify areas that can proactively manage water resources, areas at high risk of drought and water shortage, on that basis, guide the conversion of crops and appropriate production, limiting the risk of damage due to drought and water shortage. Guide and urge units and localities to review the balance of water resources and water demand to develop plans and water supply plans for each project, review and give opinions so that units and localities can complete and issue plans and irrigation plans for the projects as a basis for implementation and monitoring, inspection and urging.

Closely monitor weather and water resources developments, guide water regulation at irrigation reservoirs, manage water resources in irrigation systems; regularly check and evaluate the calculation of water balance of localities and units to direct appropriate adjustments to water use plans, best meeting the needs of domestic and production water.

Direct and urge the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Irrigation LLCs to deploy solutions to ensure water resources, proactively implement drought and saltwater intrusion prevention and control when drought occurs; guide localities on crop seasons and water intake times in accordance with the planned water opening time of irrigation works, not to prolong water intake time. Direct and urge rural clean water supply units to develop specific water supply plans for each project, organize the operation of rural water plants to safely supply water to ensure sufficient water supply for people's daily life. Synthesize the situation of drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion in localities, proactively advise the Provincial People's Committee to report to ministries and branches to propose to the Prime Minister for consideration and support resources to implement solutions to prevent and control drought and saltwater intrusion in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment directs the Provincial Hydrometeorological Station to closely monitor weather developments, strengthen forecasting, warning, and assessment of the hydrometeorological situation; on that basis, promptly provide hydrometeorological forecast bulletins to serve production in accordance with actual water resource conditions, contributing to increasing proactiveness in preventing and combating drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusion; coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Industry and Trade and localities to unify flexible operation plans, regulate water of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs to proactively prevent and combat drought, water shortage, saltwater intrusion and effectively exploit water resources in both flood and dry seasons.

The Department of Industry and Trade directs Ha Tinh Electricity Company to organize the management and implementation of the distribution grid operation plan to ensure safe and stable power supply for production, business and daily life of the people in the area; urge and guide relevant agencies, localities and units to increase electricity saving according to the content of Directive No. 20/CT-TTg dated June 8, 2023 of the Prime Minister; direct hydropower plants to operate according to the reservoir operation process approved by competent authorities (in which attention is paid to operating the reservoir in accordance with the drought situation to ensure the minimum water use requirement during the dry season according to regulations).

The Department of Construction shall preside over and coordinate with the Provincial Economic Zone Management Board; People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to direct units managing and operating urban and industrial water plants to proactively review and develop plans to operate and regulate the water supply system in accordance with the conditions of raw water sources in order to provide safe water for people and customers; review and implement solutions to ensure against revenue loss and water loss; organize propaganda and guide people to proactively store fresh water and use it effectively and economically.

The Department of Planning and Investment coordinates with the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant units to advise the Provincial People's Committee to arrange and integrate public investment capital from programs and projects in the area (if any) to proactively respond to the risk of drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion in the province.

The Department of Finance shall preside over and coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant units to advise on implementation funding plans appropriate to practical conditions and budget balance capabilities.

The Department of Information and Communications guides press agencies operating in the area and relevant units to strengthen information and communication work to all levels, sectors, organizations, units and people on saving electricity and water, proactively responding to drought and water shortages.

Other departments, branches and sectors, according to their assigned functions and State management tasks, shall proactively direct and coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to deploy work to prevent, combat and overcome drought and saltwater intrusion.

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