The 250ha Chau Pha Reservoir in Phu My Town in BaRịa – Vung Tau province, has been dry after weeks of drought (Photo: VNA)
Ba Ria-Vung Tau (VNA) - Due to theprolonged dry season, water levels at many reservoirs in the southern provinceof Ba Ria – Vung Tau are at or lower than dead water levels.
According to the Irrigation Work ManagementCentre of the provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, crops have withered in many areas in the province because ofwater shortages.
The department has taken measures toaccumulate water for the summer-autumn rice crop and to reduce lossescaused by dry weather and lack of water.
According to figures released by irrigationagencies, due to the prolonged drought, rainfall in areas with reservoirshas been very low.
Fifteen reservoirs under the centre’s managementhave total capacity of nearly 309 million cubic metres, but the present watervolume in those reservoirs is at only 37 million cubic metres, 11.9 percent of theirdesigned capacity.
This figure is 82 percent of the waterreserve stored by the facilities in the same period last year.
Of the 15 reservoirs, water levels at sixof them are at or under dead water levels.
Water levels at Song Ray River Reservoir, themain source of water supply for Ba Ria – Vung Tau residents, is also ata dead level, with only 14 million cubic metres of water.
Residents have been instructed to avoidwasteful use of water and to water crops wisely, while farmers inmountainous areas have been told not to plant trees at inappropriate timesin an aim to limit poor crops caused by lack of water. Farmers have also beenasked to delay planting the summer-autumn rice crop.
Duong Thi Huong, deputy chief of watermanagement at the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Irrigation Work Management Centre,said due to unfavourable weather and a prolonged sunny period, waterlevels in reservoirs had dropped significantly this year.
To reserve enough water for agriculturalproduction, local authorities should monitor weather conditions, waterresources, weather forecasts, and levels of water in reservoirs,canals and rivers.
Huong said district and otherrelevant authorities must repair or upgrade irrigation works anddredge canals and dykes and pumping stations to facilitateirrigation and better use of water resources./.
