Irrigational system of Dong Hiep barrage ensures sufficient water supply for Cao Cang paddies in the sunny season

We come back to Cao Cang paddies in the afternoon of early December. It is extremely hot, but farmers are still absorbed in fields. At the time, some districts including Xuan Loc, Cam My and Tan Phu are worrying much in water supply for production in the next coming month.

Besides, infection of pestilent insects and yellow-twisted leaves on paddies causes troubles in many places because of epidemic prevention. On the contrary, Cao Cang paddies with a side of Phu Dien village (Tan Phu district) and the other side of Phu Hoa village (Dinh Quan district), vividly green paddies spread out of sight. Being present at this area on that day, an earthmover hastily pulls out the final of irrigational waterway belonged to Phu Hoa village in order to finish mending and improvement of 6.5 km waterway in the area.

Many Phu Hoa farmers working on their own paddies specify, every year on sunny season, water is mainly supplied for Phu Dien paddies, while Phu Hoa paddies is just “dependant” with tens of hectares. Therefore, Phu Hoa areas out of irrigational channels have been dried out because water cannot be irrigated. However in this year, water source from Dong Hiep barrage is more plentiful, so Phu Hoa farmers feel secure in winter-spring production right after stopping rainy season. Now, to irrigate from first-level channel (boundary of Phu Dien and Phu Hoa villages) into interior fields, Phu Hoa farmers only pump water 1 time. Many people said if we dig 3 more fishbone channels (3 m width) from first-level channel to irrigate to farther fields (over 1 km), it is sure that the rice areas of Phu Hoa village have not been fallow in the sunny season for a long time.

Guiding us during the length of irrigational channels, chief of Tan Phu-Dinh Quan irrigational station, Nguyen Van Quy said due to prolonged floods from August to later October in this year, matters of production both at Tan Phu and Dinh Quan have many changes. Right after going down of floods, a lot of areas of 2 villages Phu Dien, Phu Hoa have been sown the seeds for winter-spring crop. 

However, because this rainy season stops earlier than before, a few paddies have been dried. Dealing to the danger of burning rice due to water insufficiency, Dong Nai developing company of irrigational works focused on fixing and improving damaged dike systems by floods; and carried out dredging irrigational works at the same time. It is noticeable in the whole N3 channels from Dong Hiep to first-level Channel dredged and heightened from 40 to 50 cm. Furthermore, passages of second-level channels have been also dredged and expanded.

From all the waterways for Cao Cang fields had been fixed and improved, Phu Dien paddies and a half areas of Phu Hoa have been irrigated. When talking to extremely hot or dry weather in the next time, Mr Quy frankly says: “I dare to ensure that the current irrigational system can be satisfied and well-served for Cao Cang fields. However, to be more improved, it is very necessary to open new fishbone channels to irrigate to Phu Hoa remote paddies. In the next months, according to warning of local weather forecast, it is likely to have extreme droughts, but in my opinions farmers can feel secure and believable in water for cultivation regardless of the highest degree of droughts. Because irrigational branches can predict the coming troubles, they show the solutions to irrigate from Dong Hiep barrage to farmers’ paddies.

Mention to winter-spring crop, deputy chairman of Phu Hien people’s committee Ngo Thi Hue eagerly says the current irrigational system have well-served for cultivation in Cao Cang fields, it is estimated that the whole 1.132 ha of rice for winter-spring crop in Phu Dien has been greened including 950 ha irrigated from Dong Hiep barrage. With present plentiful water source, it is likely possible to get 5 ton/ha. Deputy chairman of Phu Hoa People’s Committee confirms, at the moment in total area of Cao Cang paddies belonged to levels: 1, 2, 3 of Phu Hoa has nearly 80 ha of rice branching out. This area increases double in comparison with last winter-spring crop. It points out that the current irrigational system can be improved to facilitate to farmers’ cultivation. Mrs. Lien said, opening 3 more irrigational fishbone channels is very necessary, but if we want carry out this, it must be approved by People’s Committee because when dividing farmer’s paddies, it have to do compensation and clearance.

Have a talk to us of improved irrigational system for Cao Cang field, manager of Dong Nai developing company of irrigational works eagerly says with the total expenses is about tens of million, Dong Hiep irrigational system raise water level to 20 cm to water Cao Cang paddies. It proves that it is not necessary to spend tens of billion to build Cao Cang electric pumping station.

(Translated by THKC)