The mission of Danang City National Assembly deputies said they will seek intervention from the National Assembly and the government to deal with the violations of Dak Mi 4 hydropower plant.
A dry river after the building of Dak Mi 4 power plant
Rainfall since early this year in the Vu Gia River has been low, creating a situation in which the water levels of major reservoirs in Danang City has not risen, affecting thousands of hectares of crops in the area. Cau Do Water Supply Station has had to use its reserve water plant at high cost and risk.
In the past, before the Dak Mi 4 hydropower plant was built, 20% of the water flowing from the Vu Gia River system went to Thu Bon River, through the Quang Hue, while the other 80% went to Ai Nghia.
However, since the Dak Mi hydropower plant has taken away much of the water of Vu Gia, only 40% of water now flows to Ai Nghia.
“It’s impossible to build a solid embankment system because it would cost a lot of money, while the whole irrigation system in the lower course would suffer bad effects,” Huynh Van Thang, Deputy Director of the Da Nang City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was cited by VietnamNet as saying.
He added that the water shortage was not only caused by unfavourable weather, but also by the lack of water discharged from the Dak Mi 4 Hydropower Plant.
The drought has affected the lives of around two million peple in Danang; but Dak Mi 4 hydropower plant has yet to discharge water into Vu Gia River. Meanwhile, Danang City authorities are still awaiting feedback from the government.
Danang plans to bring the case before the next meeting of the National Assembly in to force Dak Mi 4 to return the water to Vu Gia River.
