Water flow from China to reach Mekong Delta in 19 days

Hanoi (VNA) – The water discharged from China’s Jinghong Hydropower Station is expected to reach the Mekong Delta region in 19 days, according to Dong Van Tu, head of the Water Resource Directorate’s department of irrigation and dam safety.

Water is being discharged from the Jinghong hydropower reservoir to the lower reaches of the Mekong River at a speed of 2,190 cu.m per second from March 15 to April 10.

Experts from the Mekong River Commission Joint Committee said between 27 and 54 percent of the total water volume will flow down to the delta.

Tu urged tight monitoring of the water flow, adding that if the water is not collected effectively and on time, it will go straight to the sea.

The Southern Institute of Water Resources Research is watching the flow closely to forecast collecting dates.

The water supply will be important to Mekong Delta region as April is the time for regional farmers to start planting summer-autumn rice.

Apart from the Jinghong water discharge, since the beginning of the year, regional localities have successfully collected and stored upstream water in three different periods based on careful planning.

Dong said the stored water helped thousands of hectares of crops survive and ease water shortages for household use across the region.-VNA