Workers check Nui Coc Lake’s major dam in the northern province of Thai Nguyen. (Photo: VNA) Thai Nguyen (VNA) - With some 175 million cubic metres of water stored in an elevatedposition, Nui Coc Lake’s major dam in the northern province of Thaai Nguyencould devastate downstream areas if it broke, experts have said.
Thai Nguyen city, Song Cong city, Pho Yen town, Phu Binh districtand part of Bac Giang province would be seriously affected, they said.
The warning was made at a conference on repairing the dam held onJune 19.
On June 16, the provincial People’s Committee announced a state ofemergency as the 480 metre-long dam was leaking.
A report from the provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment showed that the dam was leaking from its shoulder and from adownstream area.
Large volumes of water were leaking from parts of the dam’s leftbank, with downstream drainage ditches suffering damaged and the upper slopingroof sagging.
Vietnam Hydraulic Engineering Consultants Corporation has said itis necessary to drill to create a water-proof membrane for the entire dam,rebuild the dam’s downstream area, upgrade the downstream drainage system andrestore the dam monitoring system.
In the long run, upgrading the whole dam should be considered.
Commenting on the corporation’s plan, Dr Pham Ngoc Quy, formerdeputy head of the Irrigation University said that water leakage was the mainreason dams broke in Vietnam. The unit must clarify the situation of the dam,including the limit of water leakage.
Quy expressed concerns about the unit’s plan to remove the dam’sdownstream roof, which poses the risk of 175 million cubic metres of waterflowing downstream.
Dr Nguyen Canh Thai, vice rector of the university, called forevaluation of the leaks on the dam body to devise solutions.
He also said that the unit should factor in the possibility ofheavy rainfall during the repair work to ensure safety.
Dong Van Tu, director of the Water Resource Directorate’sDepartment of Project Management and Dam Safety, said that it was urgent todismantle the downstream roof for monitoring and drilling of the leak spots inthe centre of the dam before moving to other positions.
The corporation must prepare for possible flooding in thedownstream area as high rainfall and flooding are forecast this year, he added.
Doan Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee,said that a consultant council would be set up to investigate the leaks andconduct the repair work as soon as possible.
Tuan assigned Thai Nguyen Irrigation Exploitation One Member CoLtd to revise safety measures during the repair work.
Nui Coc Lake is a human-made lake in Thai Nguyen province. It wasbuilt in 1973 and has seven dams. It provides 30 millions cubic metres of waterfor irrigation per year, 30,000 cubic metres of water for residents per day andbetween 30,000 and 150,000 cubic metres of water for the Yen Binh Clean WaterPlant per day.-VNA
Thai Nguyen city, Song Cong city, Pho Yen town, Phu Binh districtand part of Bac Giang province would be seriously affected, they said.
The warning was made at a conference on repairing the dam held onJune 19.
On June 16, the provincial People’s Committee announced a state ofemergency as the 480 metre-long dam was leaking.
A report from the provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment showed that the dam was leaking from its shoulder and from adownstream area.
Large volumes of water were leaking from parts of the dam’s leftbank, with downstream drainage ditches suffering damaged and the upper slopingroof sagging.
Vietnam Hydraulic Engineering Consultants Corporation has said itis necessary to drill to create a water-proof membrane for the entire dam,rebuild the dam’s downstream area, upgrade the downstream drainage system andrestore the dam monitoring system.
In the long run, upgrading the whole dam should be considered.
Commenting on the corporation’s plan, Dr Pham Ngoc Quy, formerdeputy head of the Irrigation University said that water leakage was the mainreason dams broke in Vietnam. The unit must clarify the situation of the dam,including the limit of water leakage.
Quy expressed concerns about the unit’s plan to remove the dam’sdownstream roof, which poses the risk of 175 million cubic metres of waterflowing downstream.
Dr Nguyen Canh Thai, vice rector of the university, called forevaluation of the leaks on the dam body to devise solutions.
He also said that the unit should factor in the possibility ofheavy rainfall during the repair work to ensure safety.
Dong Van Tu, director of the Water Resource Directorate’sDepartment of Project Management and Dam Safety, said that it was urgent todismantle the downstream roof for monitoring and drilling of the leak spots inthe centre of the dam before moving to other positions.
The corporation must prepare for possible flooding in thedownstream area as high rainfall and flooding are forecast this year, he added.
Doan Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee,said that a consultant council would be set up to investigate the leaks andconduct the repair work as soon as possible.
Tuan assigned Thai Nguyen Irrigation Exploitation One Member CoLtd to revise safety measures during the repair work.
Nui Coc Lake is a human-made lake in Thai Nguyen province. It wasbuilt in 1973 and has seven dams. It provides 30 millions cubic metres of waterfor irrigation per year, 30,000 cubic metres of water for residents per day andbetween 30,000 and 150,000 cubic metres of water for the Yen Binh Clean WaterPlant per day.-VNA
VNA
