Where to put floodwater? Undergound.

Since ancient times Thailand has dreamed up new ways to manage water for farming, storing water underground is one way to get rid of too much water. Photo above of an aquifer where flood waters can be stored using a new technology called Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) (Source: Wikipedia) Click button to listen to Groundwater Flood Prevention to download Putting water to work Scientists looking at 'climate-smart' agriculture for cost-effective flood prevention 7/05/2012 Piyaporn Wongruang Following the massive flooding last year, leading scientists are taking a more serious look at how to put excessive flood water into the soil as one of the solutions to help solve future flooding in Thailand and some other Southeast Asian countries. Pumping water back into the soil is possible and could be an alternative to large dam constructions and water retention development, according to Matthew McCartney of the Vientiane-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI).  Scientists at the institute are now working with the Groundwater Research Center of Khon Kaen University to explore the possibility of doing field research in Thailand. They are looking at the upper reaches of the Chao Phraya River about 100 kilometres away from Bangkok for possible sites, Mr McCartney said. "In the future, there will be more impacts from climate change, and there will be more excessive rainfall and therefore flooding, so water management will be significantly important," he said on the sidelines of Climate Smart Agriculture in Asia, a conference held recently in Bangkok. We should also be looking at storing water in the landscape, not just in large dams but also underground. According to Mr McCartney, dams do have a role to play in water management but they come with large negative impacts on ecosystems and communities. If people can do some other things as part of a package of solutions to flooding, those impacts can be mitigated, he said. Water retention in farms, meanwhile, has often proved to also be controversial as it needs vast tracts of land to store excess water, and without proper compensation and therefore consent by farmers, the idea is often opposed. Without a thorough water management strategy and related systems in place, the water stored in farms would become useless. This is far different from the idea of putting excess water back into the soil, as scientists are proposing. Under the concept, known as Managed Aquifer Recharge or MAR, excess water is simply diverted in a "recharge basin" and allowed to percolate into the aquifer, according to Mr McCartney. However, other technical options are also available, noted the IWMI. For instance, water is allowed to go deep through "flooding pits" or shafts, deep boreholes, or even tube wells. However, in order to make the most effective use of these approaches, institutional support such as compensation schemes or electricity subsidies for pumping water out needs to be in place, Mr McCartney said. Combined with a good management programme, MAR not only offers a solution to flooding, but also to drought as farmers can pump excess water out to irrigate water-short farms, he said. The idea of groundwater recharging is widely popular in India although it is for irrigation purposes. Mr McCartney said the scientists believe the approach could be used in Thailand to help mitigate flooding considering the country's geography and topography. They are also looking at Laos as a possible location to explore the idea. But before they come to a conclusion, further studies are needed, he said. "Many things done in the past don't necessarily work for present situations. We are now thinking of a range of options and combinations for the best result," said Mr McCartney. Jerry Lengoasa, deputy secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organisation, hailed the groundwater discharge idea as one of the tools necessary for adaptation at a time when climate change is accelerating. As the region, like the others, is facing a changing climate and weather variability, "climate-smart"agriculture is part of the solutions. He said water storage is in fact ancient wisdom and if people look back in civilisation, they will find water harvesting was part of daily lives. This can be seen from the Mayan civilisation to Indian civilisations. Unfortunately, a lot of this ancient wisdom and knowledge was lost. Mr Lengoasa said that while ground water discharge is necessary, people should not forget that it is just one of a number of tools that are needed to help people cope with water problems. The bigger challenge, he said, is how to get people to work together when it comes to water issues, across borders when necessary, and to share information when needed. (Source: Bangkok Post, Putting water to work, Scientists looking at 'climate-smart' agriculture for cost-effective flood prevention, 7/05/2012, Piyaporn Wongruang, link)  Water Management Vocabulary water management - conserving and distributing water to competing uses during times when there is little water and when there is too much water preventing  disasters like floods (See Wikipedia) strategy - a plan to achieve a goal over a longer period of time (longer than a "tactic") water management strategy Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) - a technology that allows "adding a water source such as recycled water to underground aquifers under controlled conditions" to store for future use (See webpage) diverted - caused something to change direction เบนเส้นทางเดินน้ำ basin - a large area of land that water flows through into a river or lake recharge basin excess water diverted in a recharge basin percolate - when water or a liquid slowly passes through some material or substance  aquifer - a layer or earth or rock that contains water or that water can pass through (See Wikipedia) water percolates into the aquifer excess water is simply diverted in a recharge basin and allowed to percolate into the aquifer putting X to work - using X to do something  putting water to work prevention - stopping some bad event from happening (examples: disease prevention, flood prevention, crime prevention, etc) flood prevention effective - producing the result that was intended; works well, gets the job done ได้ผลดี cost-effective - does not use too much money cost-effective flood prevention Scientists looking at 'climate-smart' agriculture for cost-effective flood prevention massive - very large in size, amount or numberใหญ่โต มหาศาล massive flooding leading - the most important leading scientists take a more serious look at - carefully look at and think about something (before acting or making a decision) excessive - too much; much greater than is usual; too much of something มากเกินปริมาณที่พอดี excessive flood water - too much flood water soil - dirt, earth (crops are grown in soil) Following the massive flooding last year, leading scientists are taking a more serious look at how to put excessive flood water into the soil as one of the solutions to help solve future flooding in Thailand and some other Southeast Asian countries. dam - a wall across a river to stop water making a lake (reservoir) (See Wikipedia) dam constructions alternative - another choice ตัวเลือก / ทางเลือก alternative to large dam constructions retention - keeping something like water in one place (not letting it flow away to another place) water retention - keeping water in one place (example: water behind a dam) development - the building of something (either at one place or over a period of time) water retention development field research - research that takes place where the thing researched happens or lives (example: field research of an animal in the jungle) Pumping water back into the soil is possible and could be an alternative to large dam constructions and water retention development, according to Matthew McCartney of the Vientiane-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Scientists at the institute are now working with the Groundwater Research Center of Khon Kaen University to explore the possibility of doing field research in Thailand. They are looking at the upper reaches of the Chao Phraya River about 100 kilometres away from Bangkok for possible sites, Mr McCartney said. climate change - changes in weather patterns (climate) over a long period of time causing things like global warming, flooding and droughts (See Wikipedia) climate - the general weather conditions usually found in a particular place สภาพอากาศ impacts - effects on different people and things impacts from climate change on the sidelines of - people meeting and talking at a large event (their meeting is informal and not an official part of the event) significantly - in an important way อย่างสำคัญ significantly important - very important "In the future, there will be more impacts from climate change, and there will be more excessive rainfall and therefore flooding, so water management will be significantly important," he said on the sidelines of Climate Smart Agriculture in Asia, a conference held recently in Bangkok. landscape - the land and the way it is formed with hills, valleys, rivers, lakes, etc storing water in the landscape underground - below the earth We should also be looking at storing water in the landscape, not just in large dams but also underground. role - function or position in a situation, organisation, society or relationship บทบาท have a role to play negative - bad ที่เป็นด้านลบ negative impacts ecosystem - all the plants and animals in an area (considered as a system, all of which depends on each other)  package - a group or collection of things that go together package of solutions - a group of solutions that go together mitigate - reduce the bad or negative aspects or effects of something mitigate impacts - reduce the negative effect of an event According to Mr McCartney, dams do have a role to play in water management but they come with large negative impacts on ecosystems and communities. If people can do some other things as part of a package of solutions to flooding, those impacts can be mitigated, he said. controversial - causing disagreement or disapproval;  a topic that people disagree about, fight, argue, or debate about ความขัดแย้ง ความไม่ลงรอยกัน  ซึ่งก่อให้เกิดการโต้แย้ง  ที่เป็นที่ขัดแย้ง vast - extremely large in area, size, amount, etc. กว้างใหญ่, มหาศาล มหึมา vast tracts of land excess - greater than is usual; too much of something มากเกินปริมาณที่พอดี excess water - more water than you need store excess water proper - the right amount compensation - money paid to a person for damage they suffered เงินชดเชย  การจ่า่ยเงินชดเชย proper compensation - the right amount to give to a person who has been hurt or damaged by an action consent - agreement consent by farmers - agreement by farmers oppose - do not agree with something Water retention in farms, meanwhile, has often proved to also be controversial as it needs vast tracts of land to store excess water, and without proper compensation and therefore consent by farmers, the idea is often opposed.  Without a thorough water management strategy and related systems in place, the water stored in farms would become useless. This is far different from the idea of putting excess water back into the soil, as scientists are proposing. concept - a principle or idea ความคิด Under the concept, known as Managed Aquifer Recharge or MAR, excess water is simply diverted in a "recharge basin" and allowed to percolate into the aquifer, according to Mr McCartney. technical - involving materials, processes, and machines to do specialised work เฉพาะทาง  (example: computers, electronics, manufacturing) options - choices ทางเลือก  the different things that someone can choose to do ทางเลือก technical options pit -  a deep hole in the ground flooding pits shaft - a long narrow passageway into the ground bored - to drill into something with a drill boreholes well - a large hole in the ground used to get water out of the ground tube - a long hollow cylinder made from plastic, metal, rubber or glass ท่อ, หลอด tube wells However, other technical options are also available, noted the IWMI. For instance, water is allowed to go deep through "flooding pits" or shafts, deep boreholes, or even tube wells. effective - something that works and gets the job done an effective use of - something (a tool) that when used, gets the job done the most effective use of approach - a particular way of dealing with something or thinking about something วิธีการทำให้ถึงจุดหมาย การจัดการกับปัญหา make the most effective use of these approaches support - help, by giving money, for example สนับสนุน institution - a large organisation institutional support - help from the government or some other large organisation schemes - systems for achieving some goal compensation schemes - a system for giving money who were damaged by an action your organization is taking subsidies - when the government pays part of the cost of some activity to encourage it เงินช่วยเหลือจากรัฐ เงินสนับสนุน electricity subsidies - when the government helps people by paying part of their electrcity bill pumping water out - using a machine (a pump) to remove water from something or some place in place - to be created already, to exist already drought - a period of time when there is very little rain and water available ความแห้งแล้ง (See Wikipedia) irrigation - the process of bringing water to land through a system of pipes, ditches, etc. in order to make crops grow ระบบชลประทาน (See Wikipedia) mitigate - to make something less harmful or serious บรรเทา topography - the shape of the land (hills, mountains, valleys), the ups and downs of the land (as shown on maps) However, in order to make the most effective use of these approaches, institutional support such as compensation schemes or electricity subsidies for pumping water out needs to be in place, Mr McCartney said. Combined with a good management programme, MAR not only offers a solution to flooding, but also to drought as farmers can pump excess water out to irrigate water-short farms, he said. The idea of groundwater recharging is widely popular in India although it is for irrigation purposes. Mr McCartney said the scientists believe the approach could be used in Thailand to help mitigate flooding considering the country's geography and topography. They are also looking at Laos as a possible location to explore the idea. conclusion - a final decision การสรุป การตกลงขั้นสุดท้าย บทสรุป something that you decide is true after consider all the evidence and thinking about it carefully   การสิ้นสุดลง การสรุป การตกลงขั้นสุดท้าย come to  conclusion range - a number of different things that are of the same general type ขอบข่าย, ประเภท range of options hailed - said publicly how good something is; praised โห่ร้องสนับสนุน ยกย่อง hailed X as Y - say how something (X) is the same as something good (Y)  hailed the groundwater discharge idea as one of the tools necessary for adaptation discharge - to send out a substance, especially liquid or gas ปล่อยออก, ขับออก groundwater discharge adaptation - change needed for a changing situation accelerating - happening at a faster rate เร่งให้เร็วขึ้น accelerating climate change But before they come to a conclusion, further studies are needed, he said. "Many things done in the past don't necessarily work for present situations. We are now thinking of a range of options and combinations for the best result," said Mr McCartney. Jerry Lengoasa, deputy secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organisation, hailed the groundwater discharge idea as one of the tools necessary for adaptation at a time when climate change is accelerating. variability - how much something changes over time (little variability or great variability) weather variability storage - the putting and keeping of things in a special place for use in the future การเก็บ water storage ancient - very old ที่เก่าแก่ ที่โบราณ wisdom - knowledge gained over a long period of time from experience ancient wisdom - knowledge from the past civilisation - a society that has developed its own culture and institutions (See Wikipedia) Mayan civilisation - an ancient group of people lived in what is now the Yucatan area of Mexico (See Wikipedia) harvesting - collecting a crop from the fields การเก็บเกี่ยว water harvesting - collecting water together into