Cửa Đạt reservoir threatened by erosion

THANH HÓA — Recent heavy rains and strong winds have caused serious erosion to hundreds of metres of Cửa Đạt reservoir’s strong dam in the central province of Thanh Hóa.

The reservoir’s wall and sluice gate to the left have been damaged by large concrete blocks, Dân Trí website reported. 

According to the report of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, due to the impact of typhoon Doksuri - the year’s 10th storm over the East Sea, nearly 400m of the concrete dam has been severely eroded, making the reservoir unsafe.

The provincial People’s Committee has reported the incident to the Government, seeking funding for urgent repairs. 

Sông Chu One Member Limited Company has been asked to inspect and monitor the erosion, and build a forbidden signal against entering.

It also needs a special inspection by experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to evaluate the overall situation of embankment erosion in order to ensure stability of the reservoir in discharging water in cases of emergency.

Cửa Đạt reservoir has been in use from November 2010 and is the largest hydropower and irrigation construction of the country with a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic metres.

It was built in Thường Xuân District’s Xuân Mỹ Commune, with VNĐ7 trillion (US$311 million).

The reservoir has contributed to flood control in the downstream of Chu River, ensuring sufficient supply of water for more than 86,000 hectares of agricultural land, supplying water for domestic use and for industrial use. — VNS