Based on a Memory of Understanding (MOU) signed between Japan Water Agency (JWA) and Viet Nam NARBO in March 2008, and an agreement signed between JWA and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Twinning Program between the two parties has been started by the dispatch of three personnel from MARD to JWA in November 2008. The objective of the Twinning program is, as the MOU states, "to get a better understanding on Integrated Water Resources Management implemented by the other party". Furthermore, we feel that this program serves as an effective opportunity to develop tight relationship between the two parties. For the annual activity of Twinning Program, in 2009, JWA and MARD plan to exchange their personnel, two from JWA to MARD and three from MARD to JWA.

This article reports briefly about Twinning Program held from 2^nd to 6^th November in Hanoi City and Dien Bien City in Viet Nam.

For this year’s program, two engineers from JWA, namely Mr. Tatsuo KUNIEDA and Mr. Susumu FUJIOKA participated.

The program began with a warm greeting by Vice Minister of MARD, Mr. Dao Xuan Hoc, at the head quarter office of MARD, followed by a greeting with Vice Director General of Department of Water Resources, Mr. Dam Hoa Binh.

Nui Coc company’s office

Firstly, we visited Nui Coc company office, where the General Director of the branch office, Mr. Phi Ngoc Lam gave us a brief outline of the Nui Coc area.

Nui Coc company is under the Thai Nguyen company, which is under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Thai Nguyen province.

Nui Coc company has one main reservoir, Nui Coc (width 480 m, height 27 m, earth type dam), and seven other supportive dams. Along with reservoirs, it manages and operates an irrigation main canal of 18 km in length. The total length of first tribal canal is 47 km, and that of second tribal canal is 7,500 km. The irrigation system supplies water for the fields of 12,000 ha. 4,500 ha of them are used for vegetable and 2,000 ha are used for tea.

A small hydropower plant is located in the downstream area of reservoir, operating only when the reservoir has an adequate amount of water. The total produce of electricity is around 1.8 MW.

Nui coc reservoir

After brief explanation of outline, we visited Nui coc reservoir. N.W.L. and D.W.L of Nui coc reservoir are 46.2 m and 48.25 m respectively. Its designed flood is 957 m³/s. Capacity of reservoir is 175.5 million m³. As discharge facilities, two pipes whose diameter is 1.7 m, penetrate the lower dam body. The maximum discharge of those pipes is 30 m³/s in total. The catchment area of this reservoir is 500 km². It has two spillways, one of which has three gates of 8 m in width and the other of which has two gates of the same kind. The maximum discharge of the spillways is 1,430 m³/s. For the water quality survey, the Ministry of Environment and domestic water users independently conduct regular survey of the water quality of the reservoir.

Xa huong reservoir

In the afternoon of the first day, we visited Xa huong reservoir. Main purpose of this dam is irrigation, partly for the domestic use for military and a golf club in the downstream area. Total capacity is 12 million m³. The spillway gate, which is operated manually, takes eight labors when opening the gate. Water level tends to increase rapidly when a flood comes. Water level is measured by the ruler attached to the column of the bridge between the water intake facility and the dam body.

After visiting Nui Coc reservoir and Xa huong reservoir, we rode on a car to go to Dien Bien city, Lai Chau province, to visit and see Pa Khong Reservoir. Along with Japanese delegation, Mr. Phan Thanh Toan, Mr. Nam and Mr. Quan crammed into a car to challenge an unforgettable journey. The 14–hour car ride before we reached the Dien Bien city was deeply etched into the minds of all the members who shared the experience. The exhausting journey finally came to a period when the Director of Pa Khong Reservoir Management and Operation (M&O) office, Mr. Nguyen Van Chien greeted us at the dinner table in the evening. In the next morning, we visited Pa Khoang Reservoir M&O office, where General Manager warmly welcomed us and informed us of general outline of the reservoir. Located in the north of Dien Bien city, Pa Khoang reservoir plays an essential role for the lives of citizens there.

Pa Khoang Reservoir

Of all its capacity, 3.4 million m³ is allocated for irrigation, whereas 1.9 million m³ for flood control. Spillway is a free overflow type. Irrigation water is provided free of charge, with its water flow and allocation managed by the Operation and Management (O&M) office at the dam site. Irrigation water is partly used for the hydropower generation before it is provided to the agriculture sectors. Four hydropower generators are installed thanks to ODA from Japan.

Fishery is allowed within the reservoir once the local government accepted applications. The O&M office at the reservoir does not control the fishery activities in its reservoir but concentrates on O&M.

The O&M office is now seeking for the budget to increase the dam height by 1 m in order to realize multi year operation of the reservoir, however, the budget application for the project has not been approved yet, the general director told us.

This program had planned in such a way that gave us a wonderful opportunity to become familiar with current situation of Viet Nam reservoir as well as building tight friendship.

On the last day of the program, we visited the MARD office again, where we reported what we saw and learnt throughout the program to the General Director of Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Ass. Prof. Vu Van Thang, and expressed our finest thanks for this program.

Finally, we are grateful to all MARD staff members and assistance given to us to make this program a successful and useful one.