Recent abnormal floods have placed Cao Bang at a crossroads: between the economic promise of hydropower and the urgent need to protect downstream residents.

Cao Bang is known for its mountains, waterfalls, and emerald rivers.

To protect forests, rivers, and cultural identity is a noble aspiration.

But to truly live sustainably, preservation alone is not enough.

A green life must be tied to growth, livelihoods, and a secure future.

In this journey, Cao Bang often faces difficult trade-offs: protecting natural beauty or embracing change for development; investing in power or conserving pristine rivers.

When natural beauty itself is a resource - a waterfall that could generate both electricity and tourism value - the real challenge is not which path to choose, but how to walk it.

So, the real question is not whether to build a hydropower plant or preserve the waterfall.

It is how to grow without paying too high a price, how to advance without losing what makes this land unique.

When beauty is forced to choose

Ban Gioc is truly a “gem” of Cao Bang - rare and magnificent, a border waterfall grand enough for world heritage status.

Cao Bang wants to turn it into a world-class tourism hub.

But upstream, a hydropower plant already exists.

No one wants to sacrifice nature, but the province needs electricity, revenue, and growth.

In an economy still seeking balance, even a small hydropower project can tip the scales toward “build now, plan later.”

As a result, an ecological and tourism symbol must now share its water with energy production.

This is not just one local decision - it mirrors the broader paradox facing many underdeveloped yet resource-rich regions.

Many of Cao Bang’s hydropower plants use the “run-of-river” model - drawing water directly from rivers to generate electricity, then releasing it back downstream.

While this minimizes land submersion and suits mountainous terrain, it lacks large reservoirs for flood control.

When multiple plants discharge simultaneously during heavy rain, their combined outflow can amplify flooding downstream.

If discharge timing coincides with peak natural runoff, the risk of sudden inundation rises sharply.

Some plants even store water by day and release it forcefully at night to capitalize on peak-hour prices - a practice that can destabilize river flow and temperature, stressing both ecosystems and riverside communities.

Livelihoods at risk in the land of “green gold”

Cao Bang has long built its image as a green, clean, and culturally rich province.

But living among forests does not mean living well.

Many mountain villages still struggle with poverty.

In such conditions, even small hydropower projects are viewed as tangible, immediate sources of income and development.

Yet if hydropower generates power without retaining water or balancing flow, it risks compounding danger instead of fostering progress.

The recent floods illustrate this clearly.

During late September, heavy rain caused rivers like the Neo and Gam in western Cao Bang to rise sharply.

In Hoa An district - near the Binh Long hydropower plant - villages such as Na Teng, Be Trieu, and Ma Quan were quickly submerged.

In some places, water rose within minutes, leaving residents helpless as their homes and belongings were engulfed.

No one claims hydropower was the sole cause.

But uncoordinated releases, poor regulation, and extreme rainfall likely created a “double flood” - when human discharges coincide with natural peaks.

Globally, this problem is being addressed through a new approach called Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO), which uses meteorological and hydrological data to adjust water releases in advance - reducing flood peaks while maintaining electricity generation.

For small run-of-river systems like those in Cao Bang, a modified “staggered operation” model could work - plants discharging in sequence rather than simultaneously, based on real-time data.

To make that possible, the key is transparent, shared data and a flexible coordination mechanism among operators.

Hydropower and the lifespan of a license

Around the world, hydropower is no longer developed the old way.

In advanced countries, projects undergo multi-layered assessments - not just formalities, but rigorous tests of resilience, including extreme flood simulations and mandatory ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) certification.

A hydropower project must prove its benefits outweigh the “no-dam” scenario.

Impact assessments consider not just a single plant, but the cumulative effects of an entire cascade on the river - on flow, sediment, and livelihoods downstream.

Crucially, operational licenses are not permanent privileges.

Many countries require periodic re-licensing.

If a plant fails to meet environmental or social standards, its capacity may be reduced, its operations revised - or it may even be decommissioned.

This system ensures investors remain accountable to both the environment and the community.

Toward selective and sustainable development

Currently, reservoir operation data in Cao Bang is still not effectively shared in real time.

Downstream residents often panic when flood release notices appear.

They don’t need to know that the reservoir is “operating by procedure” - they need to know when the water will come, how fast, and whether there’s time to move the elderly and children to safety.

The central government continues to support Cao Bang, but the province needs a development pathway that sustains both growth and safety - a future where forests remain, rivers flow freely, and people live securely.

Economic progress must not erode the ecological foundation that defines the province’s identity.

Cao Bang does not reject development - but it seeks a selective path, one that values restraint over haste.

Preserving a waterfall is not just about protecting scenery; it is about defining limits - so that a region does not lose itself in its pursuit of growth.

Cao Bang’s story is not unique.

It represents the choice facing many mountain provinces in Vietnam: to grow without sacrificing identity, resources, safety, or peace of life.

An Hai