VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has agreed with a proposal from the Ha Noi’s People’s Committee to lower the level of the Hong (Red) River dyke and asked local authorities to plan an itinerary.

The municipal People’s Committee proposed lowering a 1.1-km section of the dyke running from the Thang Loi Hotel to An Duong mouth gate in Tay Ho District by 1m. - Photo news.zing.vn

Earlier, the municipal People’s Committee proposed lowering a 1.1-km section of the dyke running from the Thang Loi Hotel to An Duong mouth gate in Tay Ho District from 13.4 metres to 12.4 metres.

The local authorities said that the height reduction would facilitate the construction of a flyover at the An Duong-Thanh Nien crossroads. It will also help residents living along the dyke reach Nghi Tam road more easily and widen the road by one lane.

The proposal also included the replacement of the soil-made structure of the dyke by an L-shaped reinforced concrete barrier to ensure flood safety.

According to the proposal, several hydropower dams such as Hoa Binh, Son La, Lai Chau dams were built on the upper reaches of the Hong River. These dams control water flow on the river and prevent floods in Ha Noi. Authorities will study constructing a route running along the Hong River to support the river’s existing dyke system so the elevation reduction is possible.

Chu Phu My, director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the proposal actually asks for permission to build a concrete wall as high as the dyke and to lower the dyke surface.

As the Hong River section from Thang Loi Hotel to An Duong mouth gate plays an important role in ensuring the safety of the city centre, MARD asked local authorities to urge agencies to design plans to ensure that the height of the dyke is not lower than the water level proposed in the project.

The ministry also asked Ha Noi to plan to protect, manage and operate the dyke safely when floods rise.

Local authorities were also directed to receive comments from the Viet Nam Irrigation Association and experts in irrigation.

The proposal has received both agreement and criticism from experts. According to Dr Dao Trong Tu, advisor at the Viet Nam River Network, the proposal is feasible because it does not damage the dyke’s structure or scenery.

Meanwhile, some experts said the dyke is very important. Its height reduction might result in unforeseen consequences in the flood season.

Vu Xuan Thanh, head of the dyke management department under MARD’s Water Resource Directorate told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper that the dyke is important, especially during unexpected rainy seasons. When water levels in reservoirs increase, the water level can exceed the designed capacity by 2.6m.

“Sometimes, the dyke system is not high enough to avoid floods so we cannot neglect it, the water releases from China also make it difficult to manage,” he said. 

VNS