'No repeat of devastating 2011 floods'

By THE NATION

 

Officials yesterday travel on a flat-bottomed boat to deliver aid to residents in Ban Don Paeng (Moo 7), which has been flooded since July 25, in the Ban Paeng district of Nakhon Phanom province.

 

Monitoring centre to keep close eye as water levels near crest in 50 reservoirs

 

A SPECIAL monitoring centre is to be set up today to keep a close watch on the water levels of dams across the Northeast around the clock, as concern grows over 50 medium-sized dams that are now filled beyond capacity, Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general at the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), said yesterday.

 

 

Meanwhile the chief of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), Thongplew Kongchan, declared that “there will be no repeat this year of the great floods of 2011”.

 

The centre will be housed at the RID head office to analyse the inflows and outflows from 50 dams as they seek to keep the level in balance and ensure all agencies are on the same page, ONWR chief Somkiat said. In addition, local administrative bodies would monitor about 1,000 small reservoirs in their jurisdictions, he said.

 

Somkiat admitted that some major dams in the country’s upper part including the Northeast, Central and West now contained a higher level of water than was the case prior to the devastating 2011 floods, but insisted the water levels remained under control.

 

Vajiralongkorn Dam

 

The five major dams currently containing more water than in 2011 are: Nam Un Dam in Sakhon Nakhon province (98 per cent of capacity compared to 51 per cent in 2011); Srinakarin Dam in Kanchanaburi province (86 per cent of capacity compared to 73 per cent in 2011); Vajiralongkorn Dam also in Kanchanaburi (82 per cent of capacity compared to 60 per cent in 2011); Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchaburi province (92 per cent of capacity compared to 49 per cent in 2011); and Pranburi Dam in Prachuap Khiri Khan province (80 per cent of capacity compared to 24 per cent in 2011).

 

With weather forecasts predicting incoming storms in mid-August, Somkiat said a meeting on Wednesday took stock of the water situation at 11 large reservoirs. It was decided that there was a need to release water from those reservoirs, which were now beyond 80 to 90 per cent of their capacities.

 

Kaeng Krachan dams

 

Somkiat said the Nam Un and Kaeng Krachan dams must release an increased rate of water over the next five days, as instructed by Agriculture Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya. As well, the concerned provincial governors and disaster prevention offices must be informed three days in advance so they could prepare to handle the impacts on downstream residents, he said. “If the water level were critical, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would issue instructions. But the situation now was at ‘yellow” status, calling for preparations,” said Somkiat, who heads an agency created directly under the Prime Minister’s command to oversee an integrated water management plan.

 

 

Somkiat said Nong Khai and Nakhon Phanom provinces faced the prospect of Mekong River levels rising by 70 centimetres to one metre due to runoff from China and Laos. Thai authorities would contact their counterparts in the two countries for updates on water volumes so that Thai provincial governors could warn their residents accordingly.

 

Meanwhile, RID chief Thongplew said his agency and related agencies were releasing water from medium- and small-sized reservoirs in the Northeast that were brimming. Siphoning pipes were also installed at some of these sites to divert water to other watercourses, he added.

 

Lam Pao Dam

 

Sakhon Nakhon’s Nam Un Dam has released water to Mekong River via a canal, while Kalasin’s Lam Pao Dam has released water via Lam Nam Pao and Lam Nam Chi canals to the same river, he said. The RID also dispatched pumps to assist Nong Khai, Bung Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan and Ubol Ratchathani provinces.

 

Thongplew said eight water pumps were installed at Nakhon Phanom’s Thoranit Narumit floodgate and two more pumps at the Nong Bung floodgate, while all panes had been lifted at the floodgates since July to drain water from Lam Nam Kam into Mekong River. 

 

 

However, another report said Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom continued to rise yesterday due to Wednesday night’s rains, reducing the drainage offered by rising tributary canals, especially Lam Nam Kam and Lam Nam Bang, with over 130,000 rai (20,800 hectares) of farmland already submerged. 

 

As of 8am yesterday, the Mekong was measured at 12.25 metres, about 25cm beyond the critical point and was only 75cm from the banks. 

 

Up North, only Nan was in a worrisome state with heavy rains that posed threats of more flooding, Thongplew said. The RID had implemented a plan for systematic water release until September for the western provinces, including Kanchanaburi and Ranong, he said.

 

 

Kaeng Krachan Dam now had 10 siphoning pipes to help drainage, expected to stabilise the situation within two days, and the Smart Water Operation Centre had predicted the dam level would be at 92 per cent of capacity until September, he said. 

 

As local bodies were assigned to monitor small-sized reservoirs, RID had also been mentoring them and had prepared needed manpower and tool supports, Thongplew said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30351325

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-03

If it rains too much then it will flood. The End.

 

Famous last words..

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

If it rains too much then it will flood. The End.

 

 No, the committee will stop it.

 

Those natty new windcheater jackets, with the logos, new I-Pads and meetings in resort hotels are remarkably effective you know...

Not that we don't believe the government statement, but Madam is going today to reserve our sand and sandbags at the Village Office.

 

Same every year .....wait till it starts flooding and have some meetings and tell agencies what they should do ! They should have already done it and been prepared for what is to come !  TIT !

watch my lips

Ive  just launched the lifeboat

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“If the water level were critical, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would issue instructions

gawd.............really, the level of command is truly unbelievable here

When they say "Don't Worry".....I worry!

 

 

1 hour ago, JAG said:

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

If it rains too much then it will flood. The End.

 No, the committee will stop it.

 

Those natty new windcheater jackets, with the logos, new I-Pads and meetings in resort hotels are remarkably effective you know..

It doesn't need a committee, just the man in charge to invoke Article 44, banning flooding.

You know it makes sense.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

ONWR chief Somkiat admitted that some major dams in the country’s upper part including the Northeast, Central and West now contained a higher level of water than was the case prior to the devastating 2011 floods, but insisted the water levels remained under control.

As this comes from an official considered an expert, it appears like the final call to inflate the dinghies.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A SPECIAL monitoring centre is to be set up today to keep a close watch on the water levels of dams across the Northeast...The centre will be housed at the RID head office

I'm assuming it's built on stilts?

 

They sent planes up to make it rain, maybe they should send them up again to make it stop ?

I am willing to place a bet... 

10 minutes ago, DM07 said:

I am willing to place a bet... 

I am with you. Dams 90% full. We now in the raining season. Storms alert in the horizon. Common sense where will the excess water will flow but south. Brace yourself and start preparing as it will peak in October. 

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

15 minutes ago, DM07 said:

I am willing to place a bet... 

I am with you. Dams 90% full. We now in the raining season. Storms alert in the horizon. Common sense where will the excess water will flow but south. Brace yourself and start preparing as it will peak in October

Hey, Can't we have a TVF sweepstake - What date will it flood?

Need a destination and depth of water to define it.

Oh bugger, I can feel the call of attitude adjustment coming for being submersive subversive.

 

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Not that we don't believe the government statement, but Madam is going today to reserve our sand and sandbags at the Village Office.

 

Crossy, as long as they try to empty the dams early before the really high tides in oktober things will be (mostly) ok. A lot of the troubles came because they waited to long to empty the dams. Seems now they have had fair warning. Still like you I will keep an eye on it.

16 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I am with you. Dams 90% full. We now in the raining season. Storms alert in the horizon. Common sense where will the excess water will flow but south. Brace yourself and start preparing as it will peak in October. 

Depends a bit Eric, if they start releasing water now things won't be too bad because now they can still drain a lot have al of time to drain water, that was something they did not do in 2011. In 2011 they held the water in to save some rice and when they finally released it was too late and there were also high tides that stopped draining of the water. 

 

It all depends if those that are in control of the dam act pro active or not. Seems they do this time. This however does not mean there won't be flooding just that it probably will not come to my place this year. (2011 was the only year the people around here were ever flooded)

 

As i said before I dislike the 20 year plan but I would have applaud it if they had made a 20 year plan for dams and waterways because now each an every successive goverment trashes the previous one's plan and not much gets done. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“If the water level were critical, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would issue instructions.

Such as: "Thank you for making this sacrifice for the good of Bangkok the country

and don't forget when Thais suffer I'm suffering too.

Don't worry we're going to have some meetings in December to solve this problem before next year."

because everyone  beleives the government, there is a need to state ?  because face is more important than lives?

I always find it reassuring when the government announce that there will be no problems. However, when you look at the facts presented along with the reassurance, it does make, me for one, question their estimates, especially when relying on long range weather forecasting. Difference in percentages below from the OP:

 

Nam Un - 51% (2011)  98% (2018) = 47% increase

 

Srinakarin - 73% (2011)  86% (2018) = 13% increase

 

Vajiralongkorn - 60% (2011)  82% (2018) = 22% increase

 

Kaeng Krachan - 49% (2011)  92% (2018) = 43% increase

 

Pranburi - 24% (2011)  80% (2018) = 56% increase

 

Long range weather forecast for mid-August indicating storms (I have always seen the heavier rainfall happens August-October when the monsoons change)

 

Additional in some cases, the effect from Mekon river after dam failure.

 

Edit: I wonder is this statement about no repeats of flooding only relevant to Bkk? If not, they should speak to the people who's homes are already underwater and reassure them a little bit more.

 

Ah! not a problem really means

 

Run for the hills!

10 minutes ago, robblok said:

Depends a bit Eric, if they start releasing water now things won't be too bad because now they can still drain a lot have al of time to drain water, that was something they did not do in 2011. In 2011 they held the water in to save some rice and when they finally released it was too late and there were also high tides that stopped draining of the water. 

 

It all depends if those that are in control of the dam act pro active or not. Seems they do this time. This however does not mean there won't be flooding just that it probably will not come to my place this year. (2011 was the only year the people around here were ever flooded)

 

As i said before I dislike the 20 year plan but I would have applaud it if they had made a 20 year plan for dams and waterways because now each an every successive goverment trashes the previous one's plan and not much gets done. 

I am not too sure about your confidence. Too much similarities. For example, 2011 dams peak in late July due to 2 major storms. The Department of Disaster Prevention said that the water volume measured on 1st May were higher than those in 2011. That concern drove them to establish a war room. That to me is worrying. Brace yourself.

1 hour ago, thaiwally said:

When they say "Don't Worry".....I worry!

 

 

I've been worried since April. Sadly, nothing we can do. Fortunately, the election is not until next year so hopefully the Bureaucrats, with control of the dams, will be doing their jobs and not out kissing the hand of a new Prime Minister like they did when Yingluck was elected.

Scaremongering, Nanny state in action yet again?

There are still a lot of reservoirs that need water for the dry season, only four are full :- http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/rid_dam_1.php?lang=en

It all depends on how many storms arrive and where they land!

If its at all possible to mismanage the situation Im sure they will ? 

4 minutes ago, CGW said:

Scaremongering, Nanny state in action yet again?

There are still a lot of reservoirs that need water for the dry season, only four are full :- http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/rid_dam_1.php?lang=en

It all depends on how many storms arrive and where they land!

If its at all possible to mismanage the situation Im sure they will ? 

Nanny state?

Thailand?

When it comes to prevention of disasters?

I wish!

 

This country is only a nanny state, when they tell you when and how long to be sad or when you are allowed to drink alcohol!

Other than that, I would be more than happy for a bit more nanny- state!

It might actually prevent people from dying!

 

24 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I am not too sure about your confidence. Too much similarities. For example, 2011 dams peak in late July due to 2 major storms. The Department of Disaster Prevention said that the water volume measured on 1st May were higher than those in 2011. That concern drove them to establish a war room. That to me is worrying. Brace yourself.

Last year people were moaning about it too it did not happen. You seem to forget in 2011 they started releasing water far later. They released it at the wrong time a time that coincided with the high tides from the sea. That being said if something happens I will know if much faster because this time there are drones. One of my biggest gripes with 2011 and the goverment at the time was that they did not warn us. Kept saying no problem (not so sure I expect this government to be different). But now there are a lot of private drones that could show how bad it is. I could take action far faster. 

 

I just hope that they will release the water faster they then have months extra to release it. That makes a huge difference.

4 hours ago, JAG said:

 No, the committee will stop it.

 

Those natty new windcheater jackets, with the logos, new I-Pads and meetings in resort hotels are remarkably effective you know...

 

Rather like a bunch of LI officers on exercise - 555555555555!

 

They're very fortunate a major typhoon hasn't come across to Vietnam  (as yet). If that happens all bets are off.