On November 19, the Dak Lak Provincial Civil Defense Command informed that the Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant had raised water regulation to nearly 13,000 m3/s. The country's regulation level is considered the highest in the past 10 years. The Ba Ha River Hydropower Plant released floodwaters in large quantities due to heavy rain from the upstream of the Ba River basin. Thereby, ensuring the operation of reservoirs and avoiding risks.
However, when the flood is heavy, combined with the huge flow of hydroelectricity, low-lying communes in Phu Hoa, Dong Hoa, Son Hoa of Dak Lak (old Phu Yen province) are deeply flooded, causing traffic disruption. Many households could not wait to escape the flood. fields, crops, livestock, household items cannot be saved...
Responsibility for regulating reservoirs becomes a problem when too much discharge coincides with the flood peak. Speaking with Lao Dong, a representative of the Department of Water Resources Management (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) said that the inter-reservoir operation process on the Ba River basin also clearly stipulated that the decision to discharge flood belongs to the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Water Resources Management and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment are responsible for monitoring and urging the implementation of the process.
The representative of the Department of Water Resources Management also added that in localities, the Departments of Agriculture and Environment also have a role in advising the Provincial People's Committee in the process of operating and regulating reservoirs.
According to Decision 878 on Promulgating the Inter-reservoir Operation Procedure in the Ba River Basin, signed by former Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung on July 18, 2018, (Summary of Procedure 878) clearly stipulates the level and rank of individuals performing the work of operating reservoirs. Of which, the highest person is the Chairman of the People's Committees of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Phu Yen provinces (old) - depending on the area.
The 878 - operation of the Ba River basin inter-reservoir has not been amended or supplemented after the merger of provinces. Administrative boundaries and accordingly the responsibility of local authorities have also changed compared to the provisions in Decision 878.
According to Dr. Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Dams and Water Resources Development, there are many reasons for the seriousness of floods in the Central region. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Dung said that "the worrying thing is that everyone is right" in the reservoir operation process. "The dam owner affirmed that he followed the correct procedures, and the provincial Civil Defense Command issued an order in accordance with regulations. But the locality lacks a team of consultants with sufficient hydrological and hydrological expertise to advise the provincial chairman on the decision to discharge floodwater early," said the Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Dams and Water Resources Development.
Dr. Dung added that most of the current staff are from the Departments of Agriculture and Environment or the Department of Industry and Trade, not specialized experts. Mr. Dung suggested that Vietnam could study Japan and China - where there are hydrological offices at the grassroots level. If it cannot be implemented immediately, the locality should hire outside consultants using socialized sources.
