VietNamNet Bridge – The Mekong Delta region will need around VND44.55 trillion to control floods, adapt to climate change and cushion the impact of rising sea levels on agricultural production, infrastructure and local communities.

Farmers reinforce a dyke to protect their rice fields in Dong Thap Province

The huge sum will be used to upgrade and build a series of works to meet the aforementioned targets, the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning said at a conference on flood planning in the Mekong Delta region until 2020 with a vision towards 2030 in An Giang Province last week.

At the event, the institute presented two scenarios with the first regarded as more feasible. For flood mitigation in Long Xuyen quadrilateral area and the west of the Hau River, according to the first scenario, drainage channels will not be built in Vinh Te canal in An Giang Province. However, drainage systems will be constructed along the section of the Hau River from Chau Doc in An Giang Province to Lai Hieu in Hau Giang Province, and from 2/9 Canal to Phuoc Xuyen Canal in Dong Thap Province to control floods in Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of the Reeds).

In addition, the Tien River’s stretch from Hong Ngu to Dong Tien in Dong Thap Province will have three drains and five canals connecting the Tien River with the Hau River and four flood drainage systems in the Tien River.

Major canals in Dong Thap Muoi and the Long Xuyen area will be dredged and the sea dykes from Giong Rieng to Ha Tien in Kien Giang Province will be consolidated.

This scenario also envisages around 149,000 hectares out of 540,000 hectares prone to heavy flooding in An Giang, Dong Thap and Long An provinces will be protected for rice production in the autumn-winter crop.

Luong Quang Xo, deputy director of the institute, said that it would require about VND44.55 trillion to turn the first scenario into reality, with around VND11.03 trillion used to protect local residents, VND5.42 trillion for landslide control embankments and VND28.103 trillion for flood control.

Nguyen Ngoc Tran, former deputy head of the National Assembly’s External Relations Commission, said six months of the dry season should be taken into account if planning for the flood season is carried out.

“Planning does not simply mean building some dykes to protect certain areas but has to work well in terms of protecting agricultural production and retaining fresh water. That’s the point,” Tran said.    

SGT/VNN