Workshop discusses dams, reservoirs management
Reservoir maintenance, water resource management and natural calamity mitigation were discussed by Japanese and domestic experts at a workshop on irrigation system management on December 23 in Hanoi.
The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Sumihiko Noguchi from the ministry of Japan stressed the need for regular maintenance of dams to ensure their safety and operation. He recommended that Vietnam apply a regular inspection system for dams.
Meanwhile, MARD Deputy Minister Hoang Van Thang said his ministry is working on a programme on ensuring safety for reservoirs and dams, adding that Vietnam, with international assistance, has improved safety for reservoirs, especially large ones.
Vietnam is now home to nearly 7,000 operational irrigation and hydropower reservoirs, according to Dong Van Tu from the ministry’s Directorate of Water Resources.
However, 1,150 reservoirs require repair and upgrading, while 320 have become unsafe, especially in rainy season, most being small scale ones built three or four decades ago.
Participants also discussed ways to improve management capability for local residents and authorities in the field.