Rach mop culvert is located on Rach mop river (about 500m from Hau river) bordering Nhon My commune (Ke Sach district) and Song Phung commune (Long Phu district, Soc Trang province). With a total investment of more than 516 billion VND, this is the 3rd largest irrigation project in the Mekong Delta. The sluice under the Southern Hau River Water Control Project is currently being operated under a flexible mechanism to meet the requirements of controlling salinity, drainage and maintaining a stable source of fresh water for agricultural production.
The project consists of 2 steel door compartments, actively operated by hydraulic cylinders. The accompanying boat dock is put into use during the closed culverts to control salinity or flooding, while ensuring that watercraft can still circulate normally.
According to the temporary operation process approved by the Irrigation Investment and Construction Management Board 10 (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), the culvert can only be closed or opened when the water level between the inland and Hau rivers is balanced or within the permitted difference. The operating process is strictly controlled through an automatic environmental monitoring and monitoring system that allows continuous monitoring of water level parameters at locations before and after the project.
During the dry season, from December of the previous year to April of the following year, Rach mop culvert plays a key role in preventing salinity. When the salinity of the Hau River outside reaches 0.5g/l, the culvert will be closed and reopened only when the salinity drops below the prescribed level. During the culvert closure, the management unit will take advantage of the time when the tide is low to open the environmental drainage gate.
Currently entering the rainy season, the task of operating the sewers has been shifted to prioritizing drainage and reducing flooding for the fields. When the water level in the fields rises, the culvert is opened in one direction to drain water into the river. When the water in the fields drops to a stable level, the sewers will be closed to keep fresh water for agricultural production.
Mr. Vuong Quoc Nam - Vice Chairman of Soc Trang Provincial People's Committee said that Rach mop Islet plays an important role in controlling salinity, keeping sweetness, creating stable and sustainable production conditions directly for 19,220 hectares of agricultural land in Ke Sach, Chau Thanh, Long Phu districts and Soc Trang city. Minimize the impact of drought and salinity, proactively provide fresh water to over 36,000 hectares in Soc Trang and Hau Giang provinces.
"Rach mop culvert is also a strategic project, contributing to the implementation of the goal of sustainable agricultural development, adapting to climate change, and protecting the livelihoods of thousands of households in the project area," Mr. Nam emphasized.
