Saltwater Intrusion Threatens Agriculture in Tien Lang District Before Tet

Days before the Lunar New Year (Tet) of At Ty 2025, Tien Lang district faces severe saltwater intrusion, impacting agricultural production. According to Nguyen Tri Dung, Chairman of Tien Lang Irrigation Company, low discharge from upstream dams has exacerbated the situation, with salinity levels in some areas exceeding the permissible limit by 20 times. This high salinity makes irrigation difficult, even in areas typically less affected. About 30-35% of the rice paddies have already been transplanted and irrigated, but securing water for the remaining areas is challenging. Tien Lang Irrigation Company is working to mitigate the issue by implementing automatic salinity measurements, repairing infrastructure leaks, and strategically managing water flow through various estuaries. These efforts aim to ensure sufficient freshwater for over 10,000 hectares of rice and vegetable crops. Hai Phong City's Sub-Department of Irrigation and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control confirms that saltwater intrusion is occurring earlier and more intensely than anticipated this year, posing a significant challenge to agriculture across the region.