Quang Nam ensures safety for irrigation lakes

Thai Xuan irrigation reservoir project provides irrigation water, domestic water and industrial water in Nui Thanh district. Photo: Q.VIET

Many buildings damaged

Quang Nam has 73 irrigation reservoirs (22 large reservoirs, 21 medium reservoirs, 20 small reservoirs). Currently, Quang Nam Irrigation Exploitation Company Limited manages 17 irrigation reservoirs, the remaining 56 reservoirs are managed by district and commune levels.

Mr. Pham Quang Dong - Head of Quang Nam Irrigation Sub-Department said that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and related units have just inspected and evaluated the operations of 61/73 irrigation reservoirs (12 irrigation reservoirs are being repaired and upgraded).

Thereby, 6 dams were found to be leaking, of which 3 irrigation reservoirs were severely leaking. There were 6 irrigation reservoirs with dam slope deformation (landslides, upstream and downstream slopes sliding), of which 3 dam slopes were severely deformed (Ho Quoc, Vung Tom, Ba Xa).

Three reservoirs with spillways have not been reinforced with concrete or stone (Duong Hoa, Hoc Huong, Vung Tom). 11 reservoirs have had their spillways and tails eroded, dissipating energy (Vung Tom reservoir is severely damaged, 10 reservoirs are slightly damaged).

There are 6 irrigation reservoirs with damaged culverts (2 severely damaged); 3 irrigation reservoirs with damaged valve systems (1 severely damaged). "Through inspection, it was found that irrigation reservoirs managed by localities need to be equipped with facilities, management, monitoring, and communication equipment, and need to upgrade and repair the traffic system," said Mr. Dong.

According to Mr. Truong Xuan Ty - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, currently the capacity to manage irrigation reservoirs in the locality is limited in terms of professional expertise and quantity; monitoring equipment and archived records do not meet regulations, making it difficult to manage and operate irrigation reservoirs. Most of the irrigation reservoirs have been encroached upon by people in the construction protection corridor.

“Many irrigation reservoirs are built in remote locations, making it difficult to travel and traffic difficult; meanwhile, infrastructure, management means, and communication are lacking and rudimentary, making it difficult to respond to incidents, especially during the rainy and stormy season.

Currently, although the Provincial People's Committee has assigned the implementation of the Law on Irrigation and the decrees implementing the Law on Irrigation, most localities have not yet carried out the tasks of maintenance, safety inspection of irrigation reservoirs, and reservoir operation procedures," said Mr. Ty.

Safety solutions

Faced with the deterioration of irrigation reservoirs in the province, the Quang Nam Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Works has sought funding from the World Bank (WB) to implement a sub-project to repair and improve dam safety (WB8).

Officers of Thai Xuan Irrigation Cluster look at monitoring equipment at Thai Xuan irrigation reservoir. Photo: Q.VIET

With a capital of more than 299.5 billion VND (WB sponsored nearly 284 billion VND), the functional sector has repaired and upgraded dams, enhanced management capacity, and safely operated dams for 17 irrigation reservoirs in the province.

Many irrigation reservoirs have been repaired and upgraded, including main dams, auxiliary dams, management roads, management houses, new spillways, water intake culverts, and monitoring equipment installed...

Mr. Do Thanh Lam - Deputy Director of the Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Works in Quang Nam said that up to now, the completed and handed over irrigation reservoirs have not had any environmental incidents and are safe.

Thai Xuan irrigation lake has a basin of 18km2 passing through the area of ​​3 communes: Tam Hiep, Tam Anh Nam and Tam Thanh (Nui Thanh), providing irrigation water for people in Tam My Tay, Tam My Dong, Tam Giang communes, Nui Thanh town, Tam Hiep, Tam Thanh, Tam Anh Nam communes and providing domestic water for Tam Hiep Water Plant, providing industrial water for Number One Chu Lai Factory (Tam Hiep commune).

Mr. Chau Duc Ky - Head of Thai Xuan Irrigation Cluster said that the dam crest of Thai Xuan irrigation reservoir is 28.8m, plus the wave-breaking wall is 29.3m high; the free overflow reservoir is at 25.3m. The highest water level in Thai Xuan reservoir was 26.75m in 1999, the lowest was 12.56m in 2020, currently at 17m.

“The Thai Xuan irrigation reservoir has been upgraded by the WB8 sub-project to ensure safety according to standards. We have inspected the entire project and prepared scenarios and plans to respond to natural disasters and emergencies to promptly handle any situation that may arise,” said Mr. Ky.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/quang-nam-dam-bao-an-toan-cho-ho-thuy-loi-3141472.html