VietNamNet Bridge – The causes that have made the Red River’s water muddy and smell up, originate from the riverhead - Mai Dinh Dinh, Director of the Lao Cai provincial Department for Natural Resources and the Environment.

On March 31, the water of the Red River’s section which goes through the Lao Cai territory was found turning muddy, with a lot of bubbles covering the river surface. The same thing occurred at the same time of the last year.

The initial testing of the samples at the polluted sites show that the indicators of ammonium, phosphates - substances produced in the organic decomposition process - are higher than the allowed standards.

Prior to that, on March 17, the river section was found nearly exhausted with dregs lingering at the bottom of the river, creating a thick 3-5 cm black mud layer. In some places, where the water had gone down, dirty scum deposited in large pieces, bruised and giving very unpleasant smell.

Dr Nguyen Dinh Hoe from the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment has affirmed that the Red River gets seriously polluted. “Since the water level goes down to a very low level, when the waste goes to the lower course, the river cannot clean itself. Therefore, the pollution has become more serious, thus causing the discoloration of the water and creating foul odors,” he said.

According to the Lao Cai provincial meteorology station, in mid March, the river water changed its color once every two or three days, from blue to pale opaque with bubbles floating on the river surface.

The station has also found out that in the last two years, the Red River water level has been changing regularly, especially in dry season. The river flows contrary to the natural laws and gives a terrible smell.

In the 2010-2011 dry season, the Red River sometimes witnessed the river level rise and fall like tide: the water rises in the early morning and then goes down in daytime. The water level changed by 15-25 centimeters a day. Meanwhile, in the nature laws, in the dry season, the water level goes down.

Abnormal water level performance was also seen in the 2011-2012 dry season. Especially, on March 3, 2012, the Red River water level rose unexpectedly which could be compared as a small flood of rainy season.

While the water level rose to high levels, Lao Cai province experienced a long period with no rain. It was dry on the days. However, later, the water level went down, and heavy shower only appeared on March 31.

Pollution originated from the riverhead

Answering the Vietnam National Television, Mai Dinh Dinh, Director of the Lao Cai provincial Department for Natural Resources and the Environment, has affirmed that the main causes of the pollution originate from the riverhead.

In March 2011, when a similar phenomenon occurred in Lao Cai province, Luu Duc Cuong, Deputy Director of the provincial environment monitoring center, also affirmed that the Red River got polluted because of the waste water from the factories, enterprises and residential quarters in the upper course.

The Red River, with a total length of 1149 km, originates from China. It began flowing to Vietnam from the territory of Lao Cai city. The river section on the Vietnamese territory has the length of 510 kilometers.

In Vietnam, the Red River goes through nine cities and provinces, while tens of millions of people get benefits from the river. Therefore, the river pollution would badly affect the agricultural production and life of people and the fresh water aquaculture, which has been developing rapidly in the last few years with 100 kinds of fishes residing in the area.

Though northern residents do not use the Red river’s water to cook, scientists have warned that with the pollution, lead and other heavy metal elements would accumulate in the land, and bring germs of serious diseases to people.

Hai Tam