The entire area has thousands of hectares of coffee, durian, and passion fruit that need irrigation to ensure yield. However, in the past two months, prolonged hot weather has caused many places to fall into the risk of drought, especially in Gao, Ia Hrung, Ayun Pa, Ia Krel, Duc Co, Bau Can communes...
People have to find many ways to find irrigation water sources to save crops. While many dams and reservoirs have dried up, crops are seriously lacking irrigation water.
In Gao commune, people have to find every way to save coffee gardens. Ho De Chi, the main irrigation water source with an area of about 2 hectares, is now dry to the bottom, dozens of pumps have to be "covered with tarpaulins".
Mr. Ro Cham Bin (resident of Gao commune) said: "Previously, people gathered at the lake to pump water to water trees. Now the lake is shallow, many households have to stay up all night to watch for water, but each pumping only lasts for 1–2 hours and the water source dries up, not enough to irrigate a large area.
Meanwhile, the demand for irrigation water for thousands of hectares of coffee is very large and lasts for many hours. Many households have spent from 150–200 million VND to drill more wells to maintain production. Others hire excavators to dredge and dig deep into the lake with the hope of finding groundwater, but the efficiency is not high.
Mr. Tran Tan Quang - Vice Chairman of Gao Commune People's Committee, Gia Lai province said that the locality is propagating to people to use water sparingly to balance water sources. In the long term, the commune will propose support for dredging dams and reservoirs, and solidifying canals and ditches to ensure water sources for production.
In the context of prolonged heat, finding water sources not only helps save crops but also maintains livelihoods for people.
Regarding the drought situation, Gia Lai Irrigation Works One Member Limited Liability Company has proposed funding to dredge and clear many large dams.
Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee also allocated tens of billions of VND, assigning the Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Rural Development Works to repair and upgrade the dam and reservoir system in the period 2026–2030.
Some projects are expected to be upgraded and repaired, including Ia Mlah, Ayun Ha, Plei Tho Ga, Plei Pai, Ia Hrung reservoirs; and at the same time, dredging the Ayun Ha reservoir to increase water storage capacity.
