A large-scale rice field in Long An province’s Kien Tuong town. The province plans to build four freshwater reservoirs to supply water for farms and households. (Photo: VNA) The department, which has completed zoning and procedures for the project, saidit would cost more than 718 billion VND (31 million USD). The reservoir willstore fresh water in the rainy season.
Long An has been severely affected by saltwater intrusion and drought in recentyears.
The reservoir project and existing irrigation works will secure irrigationwater for 1,500ha of hi-tech farming areas, as well as water for households,industrial production, and fire prevention for 3,300ha of protective forests inborder areas.
Nguyen Thanh Truyen, Director of the department, said that in 2016 the PrimeMinister asked the province to submit its reservoir plan for consideration.
The province’s budget for public works for the 2021 – 25 period cannot coverall construction costs for the project, so the department asked the provincial People'sCommittee to petition the Government to allocate funds to build the reservoir.
The project will cover 140ha and have two lakes with a combined area of 106ha,and a 4.8 km dam.
The project includes four water regulating sluices with pumping systems, awater transport canal system, a management building, and new trees. It willalso have a water plant and an ecotourism resort.
In the 2019- 20 dry season, saltwater intrusion and drought damaged more than2,700ha of rice and caused a shortage of water to 3,500 households.
In addition, the low level of floodwaters in the delta caused by the risingwater level of the Mekong River during the rainy season in recent years hascaused freshwater shortages.
In 2016 the province decided to set up four different areas for freshwaterreservoirs in the Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) region, including the one inThanh Hoa district’s Thuan Binh commune. The other three reservoirs will belocated in Tan Hung and Vinh Hung districts and Kien Tuong town.
Of the four projects, the freshwater reservoir project in Thanh Hoa district’sThuan Binh commune will be given priority./.
VNA
