Farmers in Mekong Delta are facing a shortage of clean water due to the low water level of the Mekong River. (Photo: VNA)HoChi Minh City (VNS/VNA) — The Department of Water Resources Managementunder the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has warned localitiesin the Mekong Delta to prepare plans to cope with saltwater intrusion.
The Mekong River hasfallen to "abnormal" levels, threatening the livelihoods of 60million people living along its lower course.
The drop was partlycaused by restriction on water flows from the upper reach of the river fromJanuary 5 to 24, which dropped to 800cu.m per sec. The normallevel is 1,400cu.m per sec.
According to theSouthern Institute of Irrigation Science, the drop in water level inthe upper Mekong River for 20 consecutive days in January lowered waterlevels and allowed saltwater intrusion in Delta provinces.
According to thedepartment, saltwater intrusion will continue to affect the area until theend of March.
Local authorities inthe Delta have begun taking measures to cope with the effects ofsaltwater intrusion.
The delta’s 12 provincesand Can Tho City are ensuring water supply for households in the next dryseason. They have been upgrading water supply works and building new ones, andhave instructed households to store clean water.
Ben Tre province hasencouraged households in saltwater-prone and drought-prone areas to store freshwater and rainwater.
Many households in theseareas are using water pots, cement containers and other receptacles to storefresh water for household use.
In An Giang province,irrigation canals have been dredged and sluices upgraded to store fresh water.
The provinces in coastalareas have upgraded irrigation systems to protect crops and aquaculture.
Farmers have beenencouraged to use advanced farming techniques to cope with the shortage offresh water.
To store fresh water,the Tra Vinh province People’s Committee has decided to dredge 10 irrigationcanals at a total cost of 69 billion VND (3 million USD). Sea dykes,embankments and other infrastructure will also be inspected and repaired.
In recent years, thedelta, the country’s largest rice, fruit and seafood producer, has faced severesaltwater intrusion from the sea./.
