Kobayashi Yosuke, Chief Representative of the JICA Việt Nam Office (fifth, right) and Nguyễn Trường Sơn, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Dike Management and Flood and Storm Prevention (fifth, left) cut the ribbon to inaugurate the first Sabo dam in Việt Nam on Wednesday. — Photo courtesy of JICA Việt Nam Office

SƠN LA — Việt Nam's first Sabo dam was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in Piệng Village, Nặm Păm Commune, Mường La District, in the northern mountainous province of Sơn La.

A Sabo dam is considered one of the most effective civil engineering solutions, typically built in the upper reaches of rivers with steep slopes and high flow speeds. The dam helps to capture debris, rocks and logs, preventing damage to areas downstream.

The Sabo dam in Sơn La, which cost about VNĐ9 billion (US$348,000), was built in September 2024, after the rainy season, under Japanese standards.

It is a gap-type concrete dam with a length of 61m, a width of three metres at the top and a height of nine metres.

The dam is part of the Technical Cooperation Project for Strengthening Capacity for Debris Flow and Landslide Risk Mitigation in the Northern Mountainous Areas, under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The inauguration ceremony was co-organised by the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and the JICA Việt Nam Office.

Speaking at the founding ceremony, Nguyễn Trường Sơn, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Dike Management and Flood and Storm Prevention, said that as early as the mid-19th century, Japan had developed stone and wood structures to reduce the speed of debris flows, thus minimising damage to downstream areas.

The Sabo dam concept, designed to allow water to flow through while retaining soil, rocks and vegetation, has proven highly effective and is now implemented worldwide, including in countries like South Korea and other regions prone to landslides.

The first Sabo dam in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of JICA Việt Nam Office

Sơn said Việt Nam, which frequently faces severe damage from mudslides, especially in the northern mountainous region, has recognised the effectiveness of Sabo dams.

The Sabo dam, designed as a pilot project in the Nặm Păm stream basin in Sơn La, is expected to serve as a model for future dam construction in the region.

“The dam is anticipated to protect 28 households, a local kindergarten and a cultural house located downstream on the left bank,” Sơn said.

However, due to its small scale as a pilot project, it is clear that the Sabo dam alone may not fully protect the area, he added.

Therefore, the ministry has urged the Japanese Government to continue supporting Việt Nam in building a comprehensive system of Sabo dams all along the Nặm Păm River.

If fully integrated, the system could serve as a model for Việt Nam to assess its effectiveness and consider mobilising resources for the broader implementation of Sabo dams in other high-risk areas, he said.

The first Sabo dam in Việt Nam. — VNS Photo Nguyễn Hằng

“We hope Japan will continue to strengthen its assistance to help Việt Nam enhance its resilience to natural disasters, especially debris flows and landslides and safeguard vulnerable populations in remote areas,” Sơn said.

Also at the event, the Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, Lê Thị Thu Hằng, said that the project, including the pilot Sabo dam, holds significant importance.

“It marks a new step forward in disaster prevention efforts, safeguarding both lives and property in Sơn La Province,” she added.

The inauguration of the Sabo dam is not only a milestone in the completion of the critical infrastructure but also a symbol of the strong, enduring partnership between Việt Nam and Japan, as well as between Sơn La Province and JICA.

Head of the JICA Việt Nam Office, Kobayashi Yosuke, said it was wonderful to support the Vietnamese people, applying Japanese technical standards, he warned: "No single Sabo dam could effectively reduce debris flow.

“We hope that the pilot construction of this dam is the reference for the Government of Việt Nam in formulating the technical standard for the construction of other Sabo dams in Nặm Păm River basin and in other high-risk areas."

Tòng Văn Hương, head of the village, said: “The local people feel very secure when they know the Sabo dam has been successfully built. We feel grateful.”

Landslides and debris flows caused by heavy rainfall are common and have devastating effects in northern Việt Nam.

In early August 2023, continuous heavy rainfall led to debris flows and landslides in Mường La District, Sơn La, damaging 134 homes.

In August 2017, a series of debris flows and landslides resulted in 15 deaths, 15 injuries and an economic loss of VNĐ705 billion ($27.2 million) in Mường La District. — VNS