Looking back the development of Hau Giang region’s irrigation system from Xa No canal

LOOKING BACK THE DEVELOPMENT OF HAU GIANG REGION’S IRRIGATION SYSTEM FROM XA NO CANAL
Doctor. Le Anh Tuan
Can Tho University’s Environment & Natural Resources School

Summary

From the early XX century, Xa No canal was deemed to be one of the first canals dug by dredger. Xa No canal is a life line water traffic system of the west, connecting Hau river from Can Tho side to Rach Gia, and flowing into the west sea. More than 100 years ago, after the completion of Xa No canal, Hau Giang region (the land in the southwest of Hau river) irrigation system was gradually widenned in order to change the agricultural aspect and the local inhabitants’ life.

This essay mentions about the building process history of Xa No canal and other irrigation systems in the background of reclaimation, hamlet setting up, water way exploitation, irrigation, developing livelihood of people in the South Vietnam. This essay also shows hydrology roles of the canal systems in Hau Giang region’s agricultural exploitation particularly and the Mekong Delta’s generally.
Key word: Xa No canal; Hau Giang; Irrigation system; Rice.

1. THE NATURAL AND SOCIAL FORMATION OF THE MEKONG DELTA

The lower section of Mekong river, or Cuu Long river in Vietnam, is formed through a long process of sediment accumulation from Mekong river and South China sea during a long period of sea level changing rotation. The vestiges of crocodile’s den, grotto, isle, Oc Eo relic in Kien Giang – An Giang areas can show a part of the geological tectonic process. The land areas which are rather far from Cuu Long river, sea like Dong Thap Muoi, four cornered Long Xuyen – Ha Tien, U Minh, Hau Giang are the place getting less sediment so they become swampy, hollow and flooded. These places’ altitude is low, commonly from 0-1.5m with the feature of a deep flood, “miasmal” area. In the XVI-XVIII century, here was still wild, unpopulated, dank, swamp, full of aquatic flora. From the estuary, there were halophilic plants such as avicennia voluntarily keeping soil, and then Hainesii, Rhizophoraceae and ten of natural brackish and fresh plants such as coc plant, Acrostichum aureum, Aegiceras corniculatum, cypress, nipa, Cryptocoryne ciliata Wydler, Acanthus ilicifolius,…the alum sunken areas were fill with boundless Melaleuca forests, Eleocharis, Cedrela Odorata, weed, lua ma (ungrown rice but naturally springs up when the flooding season comes), lotus, water lily,…wild animals such as crocodiles, tigers, monkeys, wild boars, mice, rats fresh fishes, turtles, pythons, snakes, otters, frogs, water birds, insects, mosquitoes, leeches, terrestrial leeches,...the climate is monsoon, hot and humid, there are rainy and dry seasons, it is one of the natural features of the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong river’s length is more than 4.200 km rising from Tibet, flowing through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and finally into Vietnam to flow into the South China sea. From the up-streams, Mekong river’s current is mainly towards to the South – North, but after through Pnompenh, the river turns on the Northwest – Southeast ( Tuan, 2007), its two branches are Tien river and Hau river which parallelly flow. After going deep into Vietnam, Mekong river continues to be ramified and flows into the South China Sea from 9 estuaries, Tieu, Dai, Ba Lai, Ham Luong, Co Chien, Cung Hau, Dinh An, Bat Xac and Tran Đe (Tranh De). In the west of the Mekong Delta, there are rather short rivers, Cai Lon, Cai Be, Trem Trem, Ong Doc, Bay Hap, Ganh Hao, Bo De,…Cai Lon river rises from Dam Doi – Dam Chim, flows through Rach Gia into Gulf of Thailand. Bo De river is a branch of Cai Lon river. Both Cai Lon and Cai Be rise from Vi thanh (Chuong Thien before) flows into the West Sea. Trem Trem river flows through U Minh, An Xuyen and becomes Ong Doc river. From Quan Long, there are rivers, Bay Hap, Ganh Hao flows into Gulf of Thailand. Besides, The Mekong Dela has a great deal of complicated channels with various permanent flooded territories, with such plentiful dialects other than the North and the Central as xeo (ditch), ao (pond), dia (pond), hao (ditch), bau (pool), lung (swamp), lang (field), dong (field), vung (pool), bai (ground), dam (swam), go (hillock), ganh (fall), ngon (spring), doi (headland), vinh (gulf), con (islet), cu lao (islet), hon (hillock), dao (isle),..to name the stream feature, the Mekong Delta’s people use the following names: nuoc lon (tide up), nuoc rong (ebb-tide), nuoc rong (tide up), nuoc cuong (flood tide), nuoc kem (ebb-tide), nuoc noi (floating), nuoc lut (flood), nuoc tram, nuoc bac, nuoc son, nuoc duc, nuoc nhay, nuoc chup, nuoc dung, nuoc nguoc, nuoc xuoi, giap nuoc, nhoi nuoc, xiet nuoc, rai nuoc,…re the water supplies and quality, there are dialects: nuoc troi, nuoc mua (rain water), nuoc song (river water), nuoc cay (water from self-drilled well), nuoc ngam (underground water), nuoc lung, nuoc dia (water from ditch), nuoc man (salt water), nuoc ngot (fresh water), nuoc lo (brackish water), nuoc phen (alum water), nuoc than bun (peat water),..

Vietnam people were commonly in the Mekong Delta in around 1630s (Trinh Hoai Duc, 1963). They mostly were volunteers for the reclaimation of the south Vietnam, they were from the five Quangs of the central (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Đuc, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai in turns), a tradition of the five Quangs’ people handed down to the south Vietnam people is “Ta Tho Ky Yen” holiday. For almost three centuries, the migrants were mainly the poor, landless people, criminals, prisoners of war from Trinh- Nguyen Dynasty, some were soldiers and the others were government officials and their family members assigned by Hue Court to govern this place. They soon combined into small communities without a care of original, class when immigrating to the new land. The only mean of travel is boat, canoe shipping along the river system basing on the South China Sea’s tidal regulation. The formation of administrative centers along the present river systems with the regular distance of 60km is a unique one other than any other places, it was the first adaptation to the nature of Mekong Delta’s people in the course of conquering nature and forming “ the water civilization”.

The emigration of Vietnam people deemed to be a Southward process in a contradiction of Hue court with the policy of developing “emigration-reclaimation-settlement”. In 1750s, Hue court had a complete political control in the south Vietnam territory. After establishing the initial administrative infrastructures consisting of dao, chau,.. Nguyen dysnasty’s king and his madarins soon thought of setting up waterway systems for a convenient travel, anti-flood, irrigation. When the French invaded, controlled and dominated the south Vietnam completely, they found it was very important to form the waterways and irrigational system for the agricultural exploitation area and interest resources of agro-aqua-forestry.

2. SUMMARY HISTORY OF THE MEKONG DELTA’S IRRIGATIONAL SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

The first canal dug in the Mekong Delta is the canal connecting Vung Gu (Tan An) and Rach My Tho. This canal was made to be dug by Offcial, Nguyen Cuu Van in 1705 (Son Nam, 2004). In 1819, Gia Long King had it dredged for larger and deeper and named Bao Dinh canal. The stone stele relic of Bao Dinh canal still remains in Phu Kieu hamlet, Cho Gao district, Tien Giang province. From then the dredging in the south Vietnam was developed. In the stage of 1705 – 1900, there were around 20 canals manually done (figure 1), among them, Vinh Te canal (Chau Doc – Ha Tien) is the most outstanding one which was directed to be done by Thoai Ngoc Hau, the meritorious founder during 5 consecutive years (1819 – 1824). Vinh Te canal was done by Thoai Ngoc Hau official after Thoai Ha canal (Nui Sap, An Giang) was finished in 1817. Vinh Te canal was deemed to be the first canal of multi-purposes in the Mekong Delta, its functions are national defense (preventing Cao Mien, Xiem La invaders) and drainage for Mekong river into the west sea, travelling between Chau Doc- Ha Tien, alum removal accompanying with the southwest Kien Giang and supplying fresh water to the people living along its sides.

When taking the complete control of the south Vietnam from 1867, The French thought of exploiting the south Vietnam by dredging canals to form waterways, starting from Tra On canal (1875), Cho Gao canal (1876 – 1877) (figure 2), Chet Say canal (1879), Mirador canal, Saintard canal (1880), O Mon canal (1896), Ba Tham canal (1899). In 1882, Tan An iron bridge over Vam Co river was built. Early 1900, The French colonialists had three dredgers of steam engine to the south Vietnam, with simple names, dredger I, II and III (Bigg, 2004). The two dredgers I and II (figure 3) were 300 horsepower, could dredge 90.000 m3 soil/month (equivalent 1.000 laborers /month), the dredger III was 250 HP, could dredge 50.000 m3 soil/month. When importing these dredgers, The French firstly had Ben Luc channel and Bao Dinh canal dredged but unsuccessfully (Son Nam, 2004). Until dredging Xa No canal. This dredger could show its mechanical power, gave a great impression to people at that time.

Picture 1: The process of forming a business training in the Mekong Delta from 1700 to 1930

Picture 2: Landscape business people trained Cho Gao (1876)
(Source: Photo Gallery store in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed No. A000760)

Picture 3: Xang II has been implemented Xa No canal.
Source: GGI. Dragages du Cochinchine: Canal Rachgia-HATIEN (1930) p. 29.

With the length of about 40 km, Xa No canal is the first canal in the south Vietnam was completely dredged by machine connecting Hau river and Can Tho (Vam xang section), through Hau Giang region, to Rach Gia (Cai Tu channel–Cai Lon river) flowing into the west sea (figure 4). The formation of Xa No canal really connects mekong river to the west sea, it is deemed to be an import current, forms the single hydrographic system for the entire Mekong Delta.

Picture 4: Atlas plans to build Kinh Xang Xa No link Can Tho and Rach Gia
Source: Gouvernement du Cochinchina. "Plan du Canal du Xano. Saigon: Imprimerie Commerciale (1904). TTLTQG2. Fonds Goucoch. IA 13/232 (1).

As from the formation of Xa No canal, population of Rach Gia area is thrice increase after 25 years, from 102.389 people (1901) up to 234.598 (1926), mainly emigrants (Pascal, 2005). They came here settling, setting up village, farming rice, fishing and exploiting sylviculture. Currently, there are daily about 600 boats on Xa No canal shipping agro-aqua-forestry products, mostly rice exchanged from Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau through Hau Giang to Can Tho, connecting Mekong Delta’s regions to Cambodia and exporting into the world. It is possible said that in the stage of 1900 – 1930, many canals whose influence was very import to the water transport and agricultural cultivation were formed. In the war time, the irrigation was paused. The Netherlands Delta Development Team made a very important report consisting of the basic studies of water resources and irrigation developing orientation for the Mekong Delta. After 1975, the agricultural irrigational systems were started and developed, they were mostly digging canals, building pump and irrigation stations, drains controlling flood, preventing from sea water and water supplying. From 1996 – 2000, there was the greatest investment in irrigation for Mekong Delta (Phan Khanh, 2005). The historical flood in 2000 was a double flood coming earlier than common years and greatly damaged people in the four cornered area of Long Xuyen and Dong Thap muoi (Tuan et al., 2007). The “innovatory” policy and giving self control right to farmers is a great breakthrough in the policy helping Vietnam restore the position of the rice exporting country. In 2005, the Mekong Delta’s Irrigation Developing Project was financed from the World Bank funds, the three mini-projects were started: O Mon – Xa No, The south of Mang Thit and Phung Hiep road section. At present, The Mekong Delta’s irrigation is re-arranged to fit with the new situation, ensure the food production (rice, aqua-product,…), life, a concordance to the nature and environment.

3. A BACK LOOK TO HAU GIANG REGION’S IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT

In the stage of 1875 – 1930, it was shown that the Mekong Delta became a key area exporting rice to the world, the exporting rice rate was fast increased. In the end of XIX century, about 0.5 million tons of rice was annually exported from here (1896), until 1930, the export rice quantity was up to 1.5 million tons approximately, especially when Xa No canal was completed (figure 5). It is shown from the statistic figures that the rice farming area was increased from 3,210,800 ha in 1995 up to 3,861,200 ha in 2005. While the rice production was increased from 12,831,700 tons up to 19,298,500 tons in 2003 (The General Statistics Bureau, 2007). Look at the status map of the Mekong Delta (figure 6), The channel system has been nearly covered entirely.

figure 5

figure 6

According to An (2002), The canal rate in the Mekong Delta reaches 20 – 30 m/ha, gaining 9% area of the entire region. According to the figures of the Ministry of Transportation, 1993, Total river and canal way is 5,000 km, it is estimated about 7.000 km of increase in 2002, in which 4,430 km is main canal with the width from 8 - 40 m and the altitude from the bed is -2.0 m to -4.0 m under the average sea level. Despite of various ideas, no one denies the great role of the irrigation in the agricultural development for Hau Giang region in particularly and the Mekong Delta in generally.

4. HAU GIANG REGION’S FUTURE: APPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Our predecessors sweated their labour and left us this valuable land. Hau Giang region shall have to hold a great position in securing the national food. Although the industry and services will be developed, Vietnam is still an agricultural country. The irrigation which is mainly to exploit and protect the water resources shall be never stopped. There are many chances and challenges for the region’s development as follows:
Opportunity:

• The managing staffs of water resources in Institutes, University, Irrigation branches, ..are mature, much experienced from practical lessons.
• The inventions and scientific and technical advances have been supporting the observation, current emulation, design, mechanical construction.
• The extension of international relationship helps sharing knowledge, experience, the funds for irrigational development and the project of natural calamity control.
• The government goes on the remarkable investment in the irrigational works.
• Challenges:
• The phenomenon of climate change and sea level rising will be a great challenge for the agricultural development and management of water resources in Hau Giang region in particularly and the Mekong Delta in generally.
• The increase of water source pollution, exploiting off natural resources (deforestation, sand exploitation, aqua-animal destruction,…) will make the water source worse.
• External negative impacts such as the power dam construction, industrial development, taking water to another valley of the upper stream countries shall be a hazard for exploiting water source in the lower stream.
• The coming agricultural and irrigational technical staffs have not met quantity and quality yet.

Hau Giang region is expected to be developed continuously despite of further difficulties. It is necessary to have more combinations among policymaker, scientists, entrepreneurs and farmers defining a proper developing strategy and effective operation for general interest and stable development.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

An, N.T. (2002) Mekong Delta water quality and sustainable aquaculture development. Proceedings of the Workshop held in TraVinh, Vietnam, March 2002: Shrimp farming sustainability in the Mekong Delta, Environmental and Technical Approaches. IFREMER, France.
Biggs, D.A. (2004) Between the Rivers and Tides: A hydraulic history of the Mekong Delta (1820 - 1975). PhD. Thesis. Department of History,
University of Washington, USA.
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