Ensuring safety for reservoirs and dams during rainy and flood season

ĐBP - Facing the complex and unpredictable weather developments, management units across the province are strengthening efforts to ensure the safety of reservoirs, irrigation works, and hydropower projects. Ranging from inspecting and assessing structural integrity to reviewing vulnerable positions and proactively repairing damage, solutions are being urgently deployed to limit risk of incidents, safeguard works, and ensure water supplies for production and public daily life.

Pá Khoang Reservoir in Mường Phăng commune stands as one of the key irrigation works in the province and the largest storage reservoir managed by Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC, holding a capacity of approximately 40 million m³. Entering the peak rainy season, inspection and monitoring frequency at the reservoir is intensified compared to normal days. Technical staff maintain on-duty shifts, regularly inspecting the dam body, spillway, intake sluice, and closely tracking water level fluctuations.

An automated monitoring system transmits images and data to the server of Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC.

Phạm Hồng Hà from Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC stated that entering the rainy and flood season, the company identifies ensuring reservoir and dam safety as a core task. Staff strengthen structural status inspections and closely monitor weather conditions and water levels across reservoirs to proactively build suitable operation and regulation plans. Concurrently, automated monitoring systems transmit images and data directly to the company server, helping technical staff monitor operations remotely and promptly detect abnormal occurrences, contributing to protecting works and downstream areas.

Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC directly manages and operates over 30 irrigation works, including 13 large-capacity reservoirs distributed across various localities. To operate works safely, the unit regularly organizes inspections of dam bodies, spillways, intake sluices, drainage systems, and mechanical equipment, while closely monitoring weather developments to formulate water storage and regulation plans suited to each work.

Deputy Director of Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC Vũ Xuân Viễn noted that along with evaluating individual reservoir utility, the unit always proactively reviews positions at risk of insecurity to execute timely repairs. Beside physical checks, tech application in reservoir management and operation is step-by-step accelerated. Several works have been installed with automated water level monitoring stations that transmit real-time data and images directly to the company’s operating center.

Reservoirs and dams across the province are tightly managed by functional sectors, particularly during the storm and rainy season.

According to results of the 2026 inspection on safety status of irrigation dams and reservoirs conducted by the Department of Agriculture and Environment, among the 14 evaluated reservoirs, 13 were rated Category A and one was rated Category B, with no reservoirs falling into Category C. From the beginning of the year to date, no natural disaster incidents have been recorded.

However, several works still exhibit localized damage, such as dam body seepage, spillway wall cracking, spillway body erosion, and damaged intake sluices or regulating valves. Specialized agencies are currently deploying remediation plans while repairing and upgrading key works such as Pe Luông, Hồng Khếnh, and Na Hươm to ensure operational safety during the rainy season.

Beside irrigation reservoirs, safety assurance for dams and reservoirs at local hydropower projects is also tightened ahead of the rainy and flood season.

Following directions from the provincial People’s Committee, from May 5 to 15, 2026, the Department of Industry and Trade presided over and coordinated with provincial departments, sectors, and localities to inspect 17 hydropower projects, comprising 13 operational works and 4 projects under construction. Inspection contents focused on structural status, reservoir operation procedures, disaster response plans, and downstream warning systems. Through inspections, works basically satisfied safe operation requirements, with management units strictly maintaining check and monitoring routines to remain ready to handle arising contingencies during the rainy season.

Inspection and monitoring of reservoirs and dams are conducted regularly to ensure safe operations during the rainy and flood season.

Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Lê Thị Lưỡng noted that through inspection, most hydropower works strictly execute reservoir operation procedures, maintain periodic checks and monitoring, and fully prepare personnel, supplies, and equipment for natural disaster prevention and control. Many plants have applied automated monitoring systems that transmit online data directly to management agencies, revealing no abnormal signs of cracking, subsidence, dam seepage, or severe landslides, while performing well in flood discharge warnings and reservoir safety corridor protection.

Under increasingly complex climate change conditions, ensuring reservoir and dam safety carries particularly important significance, requiring tight coordination among sectors and localities. Through proactively inspecting and evaluating structural status, applying technology to monitoring, promptly repairing degraded components, and fully preparing disaster response plans, Điện Biên is elevating management and operation efficiency across reservoir systems, irrigation dams, and hydropower projects, ensuring structural safety to serve production development and stabilize public life.

Quang Long
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