Over the years, Điện Biên province has prioritized investing in the repair and upgrading of these structures, alongside strengthening management and operation to ensure safety and proactively secure water sources for socio-economic development.

Currently, the province possesses 18 reservoirs. Of these, 14 have been put into operation with a total capacity of 66.836 million m3 at normal water levels. Two projects, Ẳng Cang and Huổi Trạng Tai, have essentially completed construction, while the Nậm Là and Bản Phủ reservoirs are still in progress. Alongside effectively exploiting existing structures, the province is focusing on upgrading three critical reservoirs, Pe Luông, Hồng Khếnh, and Na Hươm, with a total investment exceeding VND 100 billion sourced from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. To date, the main focal items of these projects have been largely completed, enhancing their capacity to store and regulate water while ensuring safety during the rainy season.

The Hồng Khếnh reservoir in Thanh Nưa commune, with a catchment area of 5.4 km2, provides a stable irrigation supply for more than 50 hectares of double-crop rice, nearly 120 hectares of vegetables, and about 10 hectares of aquaculture. Following a comprehensive upgrade of the dam body, spillway, and the installation of an automatic monitoring system, the project’s capacity to store and regulate water has improved significantly, ensuring production even during prolonged droughts.

Đàm Văn Phương, head of the Right Bank Canal Irrigation Cluster under the Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC, noted that the reinforcement of upstream dam slopes, waterproofing treatments, and the modernization of regulatory valves have greatly enhanced safety levels. During operation, the unit closely monitors water levels and flexibly adjusts the flow according to the specific needs of each area, ensuring sufficient water for production while remaining ready to respond to unusual weather patterns, particularly during the peak of the flood season.

The Điện Biên Irrigation Management LLC currently oversees 13 reservoirs, 2 electric pumping stations, and 35 irrigation systems consisting of 51 dams and over 318 kilometers of canals. Managing such a vast and geographically dispersed infrastructure requires a scientific and flexible operational approach tailored to each production zone. According to Vũ Xuân Viễn, Deputy Director of the company, technical teams are constantly present at the sites to update water levels and resolve any emerging issues to maintain a stable supply.

At the local level, communal authorities play a pivotal role in managing and protecting reservoir safety. For instance, the Nậm Ngám reservoir in Pu Nhi commune has a capacity of 5.939 million m3, securing water for approximately 1,200 hectares of cultivated land and providing domestic water for about 3,000 residents. Đinh Quang Bạo, Chairman of the Pu Nhi Commune People’s Committee, stated that the locality works closely with management units to inspect the infrastructure and identify potential risks. Dissemination efforts are also intensified to raise public awareness about protecting safety corridors and preventing any encroachment that could compromise the integrity of the dams.

In the 2021-2025 period, the province renovated, upgraded, and newly built 101 irrigation projects while solidifying more than 163 kilometers of in-field canals to serve over 108,000 hectares of production land. The area designated for aquaculture with proper drainage systems has now reached over 1,900 hectares. These investments have led to more efficient water usage, increased agricultural yields, and a gradual improvement in the income and quality of life for local residents.

With the State’s investment and the seamless coordination between units and localities, the management of dam and reservoir safety in Điện Biên is steadily improving. As water sources for production and daily life are secured and disaster risks are brought under control, the province is moving toward the sustainable use of water resources in an era of increasingly complex climate change.