Chinese reservoir water to reach Mekong Delta in two weeks

The water is being discharged from the Jinghong hydropower reservoir in China to the lower reaches of the Mekong River at a speed of 2,190cu.m per second from March 15 to April 10. 

Experts from the Mekong River Commission Joint Committee said between 27 per cent and 54 per cent of the total water volume will flow down to the delta. 

Tu said tight monitoring of the water flow should be done, adding that if the water was not collected effectively and on time, it would flow straight into the sea. 

The Southern Institute of Water Resources Research is monitoring the water flow closely to forecast the collection dates. 

The water supply will be important to the Mekong Delta region, as April is the time for the region’s farmers to start planting the summer-autumn rice crop. 

Apart from the Jinghong water discharge, regional localities have been collecting and storing upstream water over three different periods since the beginning of the year, based on careful planning. 

Tự said the stored water helped thousands of hectares of crops to survive and reduced water shortages being faced by households across the region.