The Mekong Delta faces a possible shortage of freshwater for next year'srice crops due to drought and a worsening of saltwater intrusion in thecoming dry season, according to the Southern Centre forHydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Its prediction is based onhigher temperatures this year accompanied by below-average rainfall anddeclining water levels in major rivers.
The rainfall betweenDecember and April 2015 would be much below average while thetemperature would be 0.5-1 degree Celsius higher than normal, the centrealso forecast.
Speaking at a recent seminar in Dong Thapprovince, Tran Dinh Phong, Deputy Head of the centre'sHydro-Meteorological Forecasting Management Division, said floods in thedelta were low this year and the water levels in major rivers weresignificantly reduced compared to previous years.
Seawater is likely to encroach 40-50km inland from rivermouths, or twice this year's levels, he warned further.
DoanTan Trieu, Deputy Director of the Tra Vinh Province Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development, said, "This year, the province'sobservation stations have recorded saltwater intrusion sincemid-November."
Luong Quang Xo, Deputy Head of the SouthernIrrigation Planning Institute, said delta provinces, especially thosealong the coast like Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Ben Tre, and TienGiang, should dredge their canals and store freshwater for thewinter-spring and summer-autumn rice crops.
Tang Duc Thang,Deputy Director of the Southern Irrigation Science Research Institute,said the delta provinces had become experienced at coping with droughtand salinity over the years, but the most important thing is funding.
TheGovernment should provide financial support to employ the measuresrequired to cope with the drought and salinity intrusion, he said.
Trieu said one of the things Tra Vinh must do was plant the rice crop earlier than usual.
"In early December we will begin storing freshwater to ensure irrigation for agriculture."
In the 2010-11 winter-spring rice crop, Tra Vinh lost around 10,000ha of rice because of a water shortage.
InKien Giang province, authorities have been closing sluice gates alongthe coast to keep out saltwater since October, according to the localDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development.
They has also built 52 temporary dams and upgraded some existing ones to ensure there is water for irrigation.
Someof the coastal provinces like Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Tien Giang, and BenTre are also worried about a possible shortage of freshwater fordomestic use.-VNA
Its prediction is based onhigher temperatures this year accompanied by below-average rainfall anddeclining water levels in major rivers.
The rainfall betweenDecember and April 2015 would be much below average while thetemperature would be 0.5-1 degree Celsius higher than normal, the centrealso forecast.
Speaking at a recent seminar in Dong Thapprovince, Tran Dinh Phong, Deputy Head of the centre'sHydro-Meteorological Forecasting Management Division, said floods in thedelta were low this year and the water levels in major rivers weresignificantly reduced compared to previous years.
Seawater is likely to encroach 40-50km inland from rivermouths, or twice this year's levels, he warned further.
DoanTan Trieu, Deputy Director of the Tra Vinh Province Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development, said, "This year, the province'sobservation stations have recorded saltwater intrusion sincemid-November."
Luong Quang Xo, Deputy Head of the SouthernIrrigation Planning Institute, said delta provinces, especially thosealong the coast like Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Ben Tre, and TienGiang, should dredge their canals and store freshwater for thewinter-spring and summer-autumn rice crops.
Tang Duc Thang,Deputy Director of the Southern Irrigation Science Research Institute,said the delta provinces had become experienced at coping with droughtand salinity over the years, but the most important thing is funding.
TheGovernment should provide financial support to employ the measuresrequired to cope with the drought and salinity intrusion, he said.
Trieu said one of the things Tra Vinh must do was plant the rice crop earlier than usual.
"In early December we will begin storing freshwater to ensure irrigation for agriculture."
In the 2010-11 winter-spring rice crop, Tra Vinh lost around 10,000ha of rice because of a water shortage.
InKien Giang province, authorities have been closing sluice gates alongthe coast to keep out saltwater since October, according to the localDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development.
They has also built 52 temporary dams and upgraded some existing ones to ensure there is water for irrigation.
Someof the coastal provinces like Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Tien Giang, and BenTre are also worried about a possible shortage of freshwater fordomestic use.-VNA
