The heart beats dry, leaving the bottom bare
After many months of prolonged hot weather, almost no rain, causing many dams and reservoirs in Quang Tri province to run out of water. At Da Lam dam (Tan My commune) - the water supply for irrigation of more than 50ha of rice, it is recorded that the reservoir only has a small ditch flowing weakly, most of the area is dry white, cracked, and in many locations there is only a thick layer of mud left.
Mr. Tran Duy Hung - Head of the Economic Department of Tan My commune said that in the summer-autumn crop of 2026, the locality planted 447ha of rice, of which 27ha in Thai Thuy village is being affected by drought due to dependence on water from Da Lam lake.
To save the rice area that is lacking water, the locality has directed the installation of field pumping systems to maximize the remaining water source in the lake, prioritizing pumping water for areas at risk of severe drought, minimizing damage to production.
In Bac Trach commune, many rice fields are also suffering from prolonged heat. In the midday sun like fire, Mr. Nguyen Duy Huynh (village 6, Bac Trach commune) still went to the fields to check 5 sao of rice of his family. The entire cultivated area depends on water from reservoirs, but the irrigation water source is not guaranteed.
On the field, the field surface cracked into long streaks, many rice fields turned yellow due to lack of water. "If there is still no rain or additional water sources in the coming time, this rice area is at risk of being more severely affected. We are very worried" - Mr. Huynh said.
Not only Mr. Huynh's family, many rice areas of households in hamlet 5, Bac Trach commune are also in a similar situation when water canals and ditches are lacking water.
Mr. Luu Ba Lam - Head of the Economic Department of Bac Trach commune said that this summer-autumn crop, the locality sowed nearly 700ha of rice. Up to now, nearly 70ha in Ha Trach area are experiencing drought, requiring additional irrigation water. According to Mr. Lam, if the hot weather continues and there is no rain or additional water sources, the affected area will continue to increase.
Local authorities are coordinating with irrigation units to regularly check water sources, regulate irrigation reasonably and implement drought prevention plans to minimize damage to people.
Deploying a field pumping station
According to a report by Quang Binh Irrigation Works Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company, the unit assigned by Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee to manage and exploit the irrigation system in the area - summer-autumn crop in 2026, the unit undertakes irrigation for nearly 14,900ha of rice and aquaculture areas.
Although the water source at the reservoirs basically meets demand in normal weather conditions, prolonged heat from the beginning of the season has caused many reservoirs such as Ba Nuong, Vuc Noi, Dau Ngon, Vuc Sanh - Cua Nghe, Khe Ngang, Mu U, Van Tien and Rao Sen dam to face the risk of water shortage, affecting more than 650ha of rice.
To proactively respond, the company has deployed dredging of canals and ditches, repaired the construction system, prepared oil pumps, large-capacity electric pumps and is ready to install makeshift pumping stations when necessary. Up to now, the unit has put into operation three makeshift pumping stations in Dong Trach and Tan My communes, ensuring irrigation water for about 187ha of rice.
In the coming time, the Company plans to continue to install five more pumping stations in Bo Trach, Bac Trach, Hoan Lao, Phong Nha and Minh Hoa communes to fight drought for nearly 889ha of rice.
According to the unit, in the context of weather forecasts still developing complicatedly, supplementing funding to promptly implement drought prevention solutions is very necessary to ensure water sources for production, minimize damage to farmers and protect summer-autumn rice areas in the province.
