A delegation from the municipal Department of Water Resources Management under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment led by Director Chau Tran Vinh has joined a working session with relevant agencies in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province, and hydropower reservoir operaters in the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin. The meeting aimed to review the inter-reservoir operation process to promptly adjust and ensure appropriate operation.

At the meeting, the delegation listened to representatives of the units reporting difficulties and problems in the process of implementing the inter-reservoir operation process in the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin and recommended amendments and supplements in the coming time.

The representative of the Da Nang Department of Natural Resources and the Environment suggested that hydropower reservoir owners in the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin strictly implement the installation of cameras and monitoring equipment to automatically monitor the water discharge of the reservoirs and ensure data transmission to the Da Nang steering board of natural disaster prevention, search and rescue and city civil defence in accordance with regulations.

The Da Nang officials also requested the owners of the Song Bung 5 and Song Bung 6 hydropower reservoirs to actively provide a schedule for power generation, operation and water discharge, especially when the water source is supplied to the Cau Do Water Plant.

If the water is contaminated with salt or the water level at An Trach dam drops below 1.8m, there is a risk of unsafe water supply in Da Nang.

Also, it is a need for the hydropower reservoirs to operate and discharge water to the downstream in the case that salinity of the Cam Le River at the water intake gate of the Cau Do Water Plant is higher than 700mg/l or the water level at the An Trach weir is less than 1.8m, in a bid to ensuring smooth water supply for Da Nang.

At the same time, it is necessary to adjust the operating time to discharge water to downstream in order to optimise solar and hydroelectric power sources and use water economically and efficiently.

At the meeting, the national Department of Water Resources Management was recommended to allow the Da Nang Water Supply Joint Stock Company to construct a temporary dam on Quang Hue River at the beginning of the dry season.

The Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also proposed the opening of the valve gate at the An Trach water-raising dam to reduce salinity for downstream in periods of low demand for water for agriculture so as to use water efficiently.

Reporting by NAM TRAN – Translating by A.THU