Tra Su Sluice in An Giang province’s Tinh Bien district. The province plans to build a large freshwater storage system downstream of the sluice to serve agriculture in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle. (Photo: VNA)Speaking at a meeting with a working group from the Ministry of Planning andInvestment to discuss the project last week, Tran Anh Thu, Deputy Chairman ofthe provincial People’s Committee, said, in an allusion to climate change, thatthe delta’s flooding season is no longer regular or consistent and so it isnecessary to execute the project soon.
The storage system would supply irrigation water to the quadrangle, thecountry’s major food producing area, he said.
It would also help regulate and manage freshwater resources during the rainyand dry seasons, secure people’s livelihoods and protect the environment, hesaid.
The province has proposed to the ministry that the system should have acapacity of more than 32 million cubic metres, have an embankment of 42.6km andcover more than 3,050ha downstream of the Tra Su Sluice.
It is expected to supply water to around 30,000ha of farmlands in An Giang and KienGiang provinces and Can Tho City, all in the quadrangle, a low-lying area inthe upstream area of the delta.
With climate change, the delta is struggling with saltwater intrusion up itsmany rivers.
Pham Hoang Nam, head of the ministry’s foreign economic relations department,said the project was vital and would help develop the quadrangle and protectthe environment.
The province should draft it in detail and submit it to the working group, hesaid.
It should maximise the storage system’s capacity and link it up regionally, headded./.
VNA
