Water in several major reservoirs drops to critical levels

[snoop1130]

Water in several major reservoirs drops to critical levels

 

(Photo) Pasak Cholasit Dam

 

Water levels in several major reservoirs in Thailand have reached a critically low point due to the prolonged lack of rain, despite the onset of rainy season, said the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII).

 

The HAII has listed the usable amounts of water in the following reservoirs:

 

• Ubonrat 0%
• Sirindhorn 2%
• Pasak Cholasit 5%
• Chulabhorn 5%
• Sirikit 6%
• Bhumibol 7%
• Kwae Noi 11%
• Khun Dan Prakanchon 13%
• Vajiralongkorn 17%
• Srinakharin 19%

 

Meanwhile, irrigation department director-general Thongplaew Kongchan has ordered irrigation offices throughout the country, especially in the northern, northeastern, central and eastern regions, to step up their efforts to help farmers and local residents.

 

Farmers have been told to rely on rain as their main source of water because of the current shortage.  Irrigation offices have also imposed water rationing for agriculture.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Sucheep Meethom, director of Bhumibol Dam in the northern province of Tak, has sought cooperation from people, who rely on water from the reservoir for consumption and agriculture, by using water sparingly after it was discovered water inflow to the reservoir is less than normal.

 

The prolonged absence of rain has caused extensive damage to rice fields downstream of the dam.  Many farmers have turned to underground water sources to save to their crops, but have to bear additional costs.

 

Mr. Sucheep said that the average water inflow to the reservoir has fallen to 303 million cubic metres from 965 million cubic metres and there are now only 909 million cubic metres of usable water left.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/water-in-several-major-reservoirs-drops-to-critical-levels/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-07-19

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[khwaibah]

19 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Farmers have been told to rely on rain as their main source of water because of the current shortage.  Irrigation offices have also imposed water rationing for agriculture.

 

Have an extra large container of K-Y as your getting the big one.

[NCC1701A]

it must be a job great writing these articles.

 

if you do it for one year, then all you have to do is copy and paste last years story.

 

nothing ever changes.

[Cadbury]

PM Prayut has had almost five years to fix the irrigation system to feed the farmers but he has done nought. His ministry is incompetent and so is he. That's why. 

[MeePeeMai]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Farmers have been told to rely on rain as their main source of water

What rain?

[worgeordie]

They are going to have to forget about the Farmer's up here in the North,NE

if it does not start to rain like a monsoon,there won't even be enough water

for householders,this is going to be a massive problem for the government,

because i don't think they really realise how serious the problem it's going

to be.

 

The Government usually does something when a problem occurs,very little

proactive measures are taken,they are probably hoping it's going to start

to rain ,as i am sure they won't know how to deal with it.when there's no

water coming out the taps,in the hotels,households,wonder who they will

prioritise the farmers or you and I.

regards worgeordie

[MeePeeMai]

Loei river is almost completely dry now.  Iv'e never seen it like this and neither has my wife.

 

 

[Geoffggi]

11 hours ago, Cadbury said:

PM Prayut has had almost five years to fix the irrigation system to feed the farmers but he has done nought. His ministry is incompetent and so is he. That's why. 

What I cannot understand is why the government do not take some kind of action like excavating existing water catchment areas with by digging or dredging them deeper or where possible widening the banks.

[RUOK]

Photo taken on Tuesday Sirikit Dam.I been coming here for 10 years never seen it this low before. 

[JAG]

13 hours ago, worgeordie said:

if it does not start to rain like a monsoon,there won't even be enough water

for householders,this is going to be a massive problem for the government,

It is in the North and Northeast. 

It is not in Bangkok.

It is not a problem.

[473geo]

In the Surin area locals are talking of lakes having the lowest water levels seen for 50 years

much of the one crop rice land survives on annual rainfall, rice crops are dying

Bore holes are being drilled in desperation, no rice to sell, money on bore holes, not much left to contribute to the Thai economy this year

Action is more than likely to be instigated when the fertiliser companies report a drop in revenue

[connda]

18 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

it must be a job great writing these articles.

 

if you do it for one year, then all you have to do is copy and paste last years story.

 

nothing ever changes.

The word "Thai" and the word "Planning" are mutually exclusive terms.

[connda]

Think on the bright side.  When the rivers, streams, and klongs dry up, they'll be really easy to dredge.  Perhaps the government should divert some of that money from Mega-Projects in Bangkok into building the infrastructure to expand catchment basins and reservoirs in the rest of "fly-over Thailand." 

Yeah, I know - dream on.  Remember: The word "Thai" and the word "Planning" are mutually exclusive terms.

[hotchilli]

On 7/19/2019 at 6:42 PM, snoop1130 said:

Farmers have been told to rely on rain as their main source of water because of the current shortage

Of no rain ???????

[mfd101]

The figures about water capacity in the dams, current water levels, and current USABLE water levels always strike me as quite alarming, even when there's plenty of rain. The gap between 'water'  & 'usable water' always seems surprisingly large, far larger than I used o see in Oz or NZ.  Which suggests that the dams are not maintained or regularly dredged, so they gradually fill up with sludge & rubbish washed down from the rivers & floods.

 

Is that an accurate understanding?

[Eric Loh]

The government's "active investment" on water management has been successful in limiting drought damage to local communities and saving people from flooding in the rainy season, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says.

 

June 2562. 

 

The grand water management master plan that was drawn up after the big flood by Yingluck government was procrastinated by Prayut government and only recently approved. The reason was that the junta want to include the plan in the 20 years strategy. The plan include flood and drought mitigation infrastructures. A good 5 years were lost because of the junta incompetency and obsessive power play. 

[zydeco]

All this and the Chinese are bottling up the Mekong, too.

[Speedo1968]

Having been in farming since I was 15 in 1961 ( not born to a farming family ), had my own farm in South America and later worked in many countries, I CANNOT understand why farmers here cannot start being REAL farmers and listen to what THEIR senses tell them regarding the weather.   Stick their finger in the air at the govt information and stick their finger in the air again for their OWN weather forecast and course of action.

Especially when they are relying on a single crop per year.

[Sir Dude]

No problems ... tightening immigration rules and destroying tourism, kicking out foreigners and having a high baht is much more important than this drought nonsense. They don't care about the peasants.

[bannork]

5 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

No problems ... tightening immigration rules and destroying tourism, kicking out foreigners and having a high baht is much more important than this drought nonsense. They don't care about the peasants.

They've only just noticed the drought, but if the taps run dry in Bangkok they'll wake up.