Experts discussed potential methods to enhance climate change resilience in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho during a workshop held in the city on February 4.
According to the Southern Irrigation Planning Institute under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, flooding is becoming a serious concern in the city, with many districts inundated during the rainy season from June to November and flood tide from September to December each year.
The current flood management system cannot prevent river overflow, and downtown wards of Ninh Kieu and Binh Thuy are often submerged below as many as 40-80 centimetres while flooding of as high as 1-1.2m inundates rice fields in O Mon and Phong Dien districts for up to two months during the rainy season.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has recently approved a master plan for flood control in Can Tho’s urban areas, which calls for a total investment of more than 7.4 trillion VND (347 million USD). The amount is to be sourced from local and central budgets, Government bonds, and official development assistance capital.
Under the plan, by the end of this year Can Tho will complete a flood prevention system – located across 17,700 hectares in the heart of the city and including 24 sewer pipes and six water pumping stations. More than 280km of canals will be dredged for better flood drainage while 133.5km of dykes will also be upgraded.
After 2015, the city will continue investing in the construction of 152 sewer pipes and 29 water pumping stations.