Towards developing multi-purpose irrigation systems

The province currently has over 500 large and small irrigation works of all kinds, including 123 reservoirs and 2 dams with a total capacity of about 450 million m3. However, most of the reservoirs in the province have only performed the main task of supplying water for agricultural production, and have not yet fully utilized the inherent potential of the reservoirs for comprehensive, multi-purpose, and multi-task exploitation.

Fish farming in cages in the lake bed at Bao Dai irrigation reservoir - Photo: LA

Built basically synchronously, concentrated mostly in the upper reaches of rivers and streams in the basins of 3 main river systems: Ben Hai, Thach Han and O Lau, the irrigation systems are extremely important in ensuring water security for production and daily life.

The system of irrigation works contributes significantly to the work of preventing natural disasters, responding to climate change, ensuring safety, life and property for people in the region. Gradually meeting the demand for multi-purpose water supply, ensuring stable and proactive irrigation for over 85% of the 2-crop rice cultivation area with more than 50,400 ha; irrigating about 2,160 ha of color, seedlings, and industrial crops; supplying water for 1,975 ha of aquaculture; draining water at the beginning and end of the crop for 7,500 ha; preventing salinity, keeping fresh water, preventing early floods, small floods, preventing sand blowing, and sand filling for more than 33,750 ha. This system contributes greatly to the application of new scientific and technical advances in agricultural production such as varieties, seasons, converting crops, livestock, etc.; is an important factor in the growth of the province's agricultural economy, ensuring food security in the province, and implementing the motto "development associated with sustainability".

According to experts' assessment, in the province there are a number of reservoirs with large capacity, water surface area, lake bed and surrounding areas such as: La Nga, Bao Dai, in Vinh Linh district; Truc Kinh, Kinh Mon, Ha Thuong, Phu Dung in Gio Linh district; Trung Chi, Khe May, Km 6 Dong Ha city; Ai Tu, Trieu Thuong 1, Trieu Thuong 2 in Trieu Phong district; Nghia Hy, Da Mai, Tan Kim, Da La, Hieu Nam in Cam Lo district; Lia, Tan Do in Huong Hoa district and Khe Chanh, Khe Khe, Khe Ro 1, Thac Heo lakes... which have great potential in exploiting water resources, water surface, surrounding areas to develop multi-purpose tasks of irrigation works.

However, at present, in addition to serving traditional agricultural production, the comprehensive and multi-purpose exploitation of irrigation works in general and irrigation reservoirs in particular in the province is still quite limited.

Of the total 123 irrigation reservoirs and 2 dams, only 5 reservoirs have been expanded to serve domestic water supply and non-agricultural production, including: Ha Thuong reservoir supplying water to Quan Ngang industrial park, Gio Linh district; Ai Tu reservoir providing water for Dong Luong water plant, Dong Ha city; Da Mai - Tan Kim reservoir supplying water to An Thai cassava factory; Khe May reservoir supplying water to the Provincial Party Committee guesthouse; Nam Thach Han system supplying water to Hai Lang cassava factory and creating water supply for Tich Tuong water plant, Quang Tri town.

There are also some lakes that combine aquaculture on a small, insignificant scale. Other services such as tourism, sports, aquaculture, large upstream timber forests, medicinal plant cultivation, energy exploitation (hydropower, solar power) ... have not been fully exploited.

Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ho Xuan Hoe informed that currently, across the country, there are large reservoirs that have implemented a number of new tasks such as Hoa Binh reservoir developing lake tourism, visiting hydroelectric plants, and raising fish in cages upstream of the lake; Tri An reservoir developing fish in cages and ecological farms; Nui Mot lake and Dinh Binh lake (Binh Dinh) developing lake tourism, raising naturally caught aquatic products in the lake, and raising fish in cages.

Some reservoirs have developed comprehensive exploitation projects that have been approved and effectively implemented, such as Thanh Lanh reservoir (approved in 2022), Van Truc and Bo Lac reservoirs (approved in 2023) in Vinh Phuc province. On that basis, in order to take advantage of the existing land fund within the protection scope of the project and surrounding areas; water surface area, water resources and existing advantages of the reservoirs to attract investment and develop the economy, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is developing a comprehensive, multi-purpose exploitation project of irrigation reservoirs in the province.

The project aims to exploit the potential and advantages of each reservoir in accordance with the Regional Development Plan; ensure service for agricultural production, aquaculture, clean water supply; dam safety; comprehensive exploitation of water resources for multiple purposes. Create conditions for units assigned to manage the project to operate and use water resources reasonably, improve the efficiency of land use in semi-flooded areas and surrounding areas; ensure project safety.

Create a legal basis for state management agencies, construction management units and investors to research, deploy investment, exploit and develop the economy in accordance with the provisions of law.

Developing tourism, services, culture, sports, entertainment; electricity production (solar power, hydropower); aquaculture in the lake... "The project will contribute to increasing the State budget, stimulating economic development, tourism, eco-tourism, agricultural and rural community tourism, services...

At the same time, the project also creates jobs for local people; brings green, clean and beautiful space and landscape to the environment at reservoir projects and diversity for the entertainment and recreation needs, closeness to nature of local people as well as tourists", Mr. Hoe affirmed.

Le An

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/huong-den-phat-trien-he-thong-thuy-loi-da-muc-tieu-188304.htm