Good news: Water rises above Chao Phraya Dam (Updated)

Rain in upstream provinces has eased supply problems at the Chao Phraya Dam, which has now risen slightly above the 14-metre crisis level for the first time in five weeks.

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Note: Rainfall is measured in millimeters here in Thailand and throughout much of the world, but inches is still common in some areas. Basically, one inch of rain is about 25 millimeters. There is a very good converter here: http://www.csgnetwork.com/rainfalldepthconv.html

The upper and lower northern provinces continued to receive some healthy levels of rain yesterday. According to the latest rainfall figures from the Thai Meteorological Department (http://bit.ly/1CUlzse), Mae Sot had the highest rainfall with 60 millimeters, followed by Chiang Mai with 48, Lamphun and Uttaradit 36 , Pichit 32 and even the Bhumimbol Dam finally received 22 milimeters. However, rainfall in the central plains area was still quite low, except for Nakhon Sawan with 30 millimeters.

The Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat's Sapphaya district has more water after rain hit upstream provinces. CHUDATE SEEHAWONG

Noon update

More and more farmers in the central plains are receiving permission from irrigation officials to pump water into fields where the rice is nearing the time when it can be harvested – 10 days to two weeks. Pumps have been particularly active in Ayutthaya province today.

Meanwhile the government is today announcing elements of its short-term and long-term water management plans.

Water at Chao Phraya Dam rises above crisis point

Chudate Seehawong
Cheewin Sattha

CHAI NAT – Rain in upstream provinces has eased supply problems at the Chao Phraya Dam, whose water level has risen above the crisis threshold.

Water at the dam stood at 14.09 metres above sea level during the latest check at 9am Tuesday, slightly above the 14-metre crisis level for the first time in five weeks.

The water level had dropped continually since June and sank to its lowest point at 13.11 metres on Friday. But rain in Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet and Uthai Thani provinces fed water to the Chao Phraya River and pushed the dam out of the red zone.

Rising waters have not translated to good news for farmers downstream, however, as dam director Ekkasit Sakdeethanaporn said the priority now is to reserve water for consumption and combat the incursion of saltwater at the mouth of the Chao Phraya.

Farmers in tambon Lat Chit in Phak Hai district of Ayutthaya pump water from a private pond whose owner has not received any conservation instructions from the government. PATIPAT JANTHONG

He urged farmers not to siphon off water for their rice paddies in accordance with government orders until further notice. The dam could discharge water to all irrigation canals before the weekend if water levels continue to rise, he added.

Drought hit 40 provinces in October and seven of them – Chon Buri, Pathum Thani, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Pichit and Sukhothai – remain in critical condition and have been declared disaster areas, according a Tuesday report from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Janesak Limpiti, director of the Irrigation Office in Chiang Mai, warned that the water situation at main dams in northern provinces remained serious due to a continued drop in water level, especially the Mae Kuang Udom Thara Dam in Doi Saket district, were water levels stand at just 13% of its capacity.

Drought will drag on until at least the end of August if rainfall in Chiang Mai and other northern provinces are delayed, he added.

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