Quang Ngai combating drought as irrigation reservoirs run dry

Reservoirs run dry, farmers struggle to save rice

In the former Pho Nhon area, now part of Nguyen Nghiem Commune, Quang Ngai Province, many rice fields are facing severe water shortages during the 2026 summer-autumn crop as water supplies from So Hau and Lo La reservoirs have declined sharply. For years, the two reservoirs have been the main sources of irrigation water for local agricultural production. However, after more than three consecutive months without rain, water levels in both reservoirs have fallen critically low, at times dropping below the dead storage level.

Le Hoang Nhan, Director of the Pho Nhon Agricultural Services Cooperative, said the cooperative manages more than 300 hectares of rice. From about a month before sowing until near the end of the crop, there has been virtually no rainfall. “We have never experienced drought this severe,” he said.

Around 40 hectares of rice fields relying on water from So Hau Reservoir are facing severe water shortages, while about 20 hectares supplied by Lo La Reservoir are seriously affected by drought. To save these areas, the cooperative has organized three rounds of drought relief pumping, each lasting about seven days. It has also mobilized farmers to operate pumps, drill wells and make use of around 65 new and existing wells to supplement irrigation water for the 2026 summer-autumn crop, Nhan said.

According to Huynh Thanh Thao, Vice Chairman of the Nguyen Nghiem Commune People's Committee, agricultural production in the former Pho Nhon area depends heavily on water from So Hau and Lo La reservoirs, which are managed by Quang Ngai Irrigation Works Exploitation Co., Ltd. Both reservoirs currently have very little water left and are struggling to meet irrigation demand. Water shortages typically occur in the middle and late stages of the summer-autumn crop, but the situation is more severe this year.

The local authorities have instructed the cooperative to install pumping stations and make use of water from small ponds and reservoirs downstream, as well as groundwater from wells, to supply the rice fields. However, water levels in these smaller sources are also limited, requiring water to be pumped on a rotating basis.

“The commune has asked farmers to use water economically and implement urgent drought-response measures, while also considering crop restructuring in rice-growing areas that frequently face water shortages,” Thao said. “In the long term, the locality has proposed dredging the reservoirs to increase their storage capacity and improve water availability for agricultural production.”

In Dong Son Commune, water shortages are also becoming increasingly severe. The commune currently has 14 reservoirs serving summer-autumn crop production, but prolonged hot weather has caused water levels in most of them to fall sharply. Seven reservoirs have already dropped below their dead storage levels.

An Hoi Reservoir, covering about 14 hectares, supplies irrigation water to approximately 55 hectares of rice fields and is one of the locality’s larger reservoirs. During this summer-autumn crop, Binh Thanh Dong Agricultural Cooperative had to install a pump in the middle of the reservoir to make use of the remaining water and supply around 25 hectares of drought-affected rice fields. However, after just four days of operation, the pump had to be shut down as the water level had dropped to the bottom.

According to Huynh Van Hai, Deputy Director of Binh Thanh Dong Agricultural Cooperative, months without rainfall, combined with intense heat, have caused water levels in the reservoirs to fall rapidly.

“Drought occurs every year, but seeing An Hoi Reservoir completely depleted and its bottom exposed like this is something we have not experienced for decades. Farmers are extremely concerned. The cooperative has urgently deployed water pumps to save the rice crop and minimize losses,” Hai said.

Securing water supplies for upcoming crops

The water shortages are not limited to reservoirs in Nguyen Nghiem and Dong Son. Irrigation water supplies are also declining rapidly in many areas of eastern Quang Ngai.

According to the Quang Ngai Provincial Irrigation Sub-Department, there are currently 127 reservoirs in the eastern part of the province, with average storage levels at only around 35% of total capacity.

Nuoc Trong Reservoir currently holds approximately 112.62 million cubic meters, equivalent to 38.9% of its capacity. Prolonged intense heat, combined with the effects of the southwest foehn winds, has kept temperatures high across the province and caused reservoir water levels to fall rapidly.

Meanwhile, flows in rivers and streams, including the Tra Khuc River basin, remain low, significantly affecting water storage and the ability to supply irrigation water for the summer-autumn crop.

According to Quang Ngai Irrigation Works Exploitation Co., Ltd., the company manages 24 reservoirs, whose average storage level is currently around 35% of their designed capacity. Six reservoirs have storage levels below 20%, while some have fallen to just around 10%.

For reservoirs with low storage capacity and rapidly declining water levels, such as So Hau Reservoir in Nguyen Nghiem Commune, the company has developed drought-response plans that include utilizing the reservoirs’ dead storage once the active storage is exhausted, in order to maintain water supplies for agricultural fields.

In response to water shortages in many localities, the Quang Ngai Department of Agriculture and Environment has asked communes, wards and special administrative zones in the eastern part of the province, along with Quang Ngai Irrigation Works Exploitation Co., Ltd., to review and identify specific areas where irrigation can be ensured, areas requiring crop restructuring, drought-affected areas and farmland where production must be suspended due to insufficient water.

Based on this assessment, local authorities are required to propose drought-response measures suited to the specific conditions of each area and each irrigation infrastructure project. They are also instructed to proactively use allocated support funds, local budgets and other lawful resources to implement urgent measures to prevent and respond to drought, water shortages and saltwater intrusion.

For areas that frequently face water shortages, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has asked local authorities to consider appropriate crop restructuring and avoid cultivation when water supplies cannot be guaranteed.

According to Nham Xuan Sy, Deputy Director of the Quang Ngai Hydro-Meteorological Station, hot weather arrived earlier this year and has lasted longer than the long-term average, while rainfall has declined sharply, causing water storage levels in many reservoirs to fall significantly.

Notably, during the October-December 2026 period, El Niño is forecast to potentially reach very strong intensity, with a probability of up to 81%, increasing the risk of below-normal rainfall during the 2026 rainy season.

“The decline in water resources will affect not only the 2026-2027 winter-spring crop but also the 2027 summer-autumn crop. Therefore, it is particularly important to start storing water in reservoirs now to ensure supplies for agricultural production in the coming period. Local authorities should proactively review areas where irrigation water cannot be guaranteed and develop plans to shift to more drought-tolerant crops, while implementing rotational irrigation and using water efficiently,” Sy advised.