Store fresh water for use when drought and salinity occur
According to a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper on January 12, due to saltwater entering deep into Ham Luong River, Son Doc 2 sluice (in Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province) has been closed to prevent saltwater intrusion and protect the production area inside the sluice.
People here said that now the salt has attacked, the salt-prevention sluices have been closed, people have stored water to use during the upcoming drought.
Mr. Truong Van Trong (54 years old, living in Bau Lo hamlet, Hung Le commune, Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province) said that currently, his family has stored about 30m3 of fresh water in concrete tanks. He will use this water source for daily activities during the drought and salinity.
According to Mr. Trong, every year, when saltwater intrusion occurs, the surrounding water sources will be contaminated with salt. Therefore, he and the people here have proactively pumped and stored fresh water in water containers to use during the upcoming drought and salinity in 2025.
Next to Mr. Trong's house, Mr. Chau Duy Nguyen shared that when he heard the authorities' forecast about the upcoming drought and salinity, his family stored fresh water in a tank. This water source will be stored by the family for daily use during the drought and salinity.
Water usage recommendations
According to the forecast bulletin of the Southern Institute of Water Resources, during the week from January 3 to 9, the amount of water discharged from Jinghong Hydropower Plant to the downstream fluctuated between 624 m3/s and 1,437 m3/s (currently at 736 m3/s). Reservoirs in the Mekong River basin in China have a regulated capacity of 20.7 billion m3, equivalent to 87.1% of the total useful capacity. Reservoirs in the lower Mekong region have 75.7% of the total useful capacity. The total water capacity that can be regulated for the dry season of 2024 - 2025 in the Mekong River basin is currently about 52.27 billion m3.
The rapid decrease in flow to the delta has caused salinity to appear early in the river mouths. In January, salinity has penetrated deep into the river mouths and will peak in the period from February 2025 to April 2025.
This week, salinity may peak at 40-51km in the period 12-16.1. In particular, the high salinity period from 28.1-3.2.2025 coincides with the Lunar New Year. With the current limited water discharge from hydropower plants, salinity is forecast to penetrate 45-55km deep and may appear during the Tet holiday.
The Southern Institute of Water Resources Research recommends that localities in the coastal areas of the Mekong Delta, unusual saline intrusion can affect water resources and production in coastal irrigation systems such as Go Cong, North Ben Tre, coastal areas of Tra Vinh and the Long Phu - Tiep Nhat system. Therefore, it is necessary to consider expanding the late winter-spring crop area, converting production and preparing response plans, storing and using water reasonably, especially ensuring water for fruit growing areas in Chau Thanh, Cho Lach, Mo Cay Bac - Nam districts of Ben Tre province, Ke Sach district of Soc Trang province.
