Dau Tieng Reservoir secures water for 2026 dry season (Vietnamese)

According to Southern Irrigation Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company, the unit responsible for managing and operating Dau Tieng Reservoir, the current water level stands at elevation 21.72 meters, about 0.2 meters lower than the same period in 2025 but 0.5 meters higher than the multi-year average. The reservoir’s useful storage volume remains at approximately 500 million m³. With this water level, the water source is basically sufficient to meet production and domestic demands during the 2026 dry season. By the end of the dry period, the reservoir’s water level is expected to remain at around elevation 19.5 m.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lanh, Deputy Director of the Dau Tieng – Phuoc Hoa Branch under Southern Irrigation Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company, said that based on water use plans of localities and hydrometeorological forecasts from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the company has proactively developed water regulation plans since the beginning of the 2025–2026 Winter–Spring crop. The plan includes balancing water demand and supply capacity throughout the dry season, while preparing response scenarios in case of potential water shortages, especially through the early implementation of water-saving irrigation solutions to ensure efficient water use.

During the operation process, hydrometeorological forecasts are regularly updated and monitored to promptly adjust water supply plans in accordance with actual conditions. The company also strengthens coordination with water users and related reservoirs, particularly Phuoc Hoa Reservoir, to flexibly regulate and optimize water resources, ensuring downstream flows while serving hydropower generation and supplementing water for Dau Tieng Reservoir.

As the hot season in 2026 is forecast to arrive earlier, last longer, and be more severe than the multi-year average, Southern Irrigation Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company has developed regulation scenarios for unfavorable conditions. Notably, about 150 million cubic meters of water have been reserved to release and push back salinity along the Sai Gon and Vam Co Dong rivers during the peak of the dry season, mainly in March and April 2026. However, since the beginning of the dry season, several unseasonal rains have occurred, helping reduce pressure on water regulation and increasing the likelihood of ensuring sufficient water supply until the end of the dry season.

To ensure the efficient exploitation and use of water resources, Southern Irrigation Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company recommends that the agricultural sector, local authorities, and residents raise awareness about saving water and using it for the right purposes. It also encourages regularly updating weather, drought, and salinity intrusion forecasts to proactively adjust production activities, while promoting the application of advanced irrigation solutions and appropriate crop and seasonal restructuring to adapt to increasingly complex weather conditions./.