Northeast dams running dry as rain remains scarce

[webfact]

Northeast dams running dry as rain remains scarce

By Chularat Saengpassa
The Nation

 

Chi river ,Khon Kaen

 

The Northeast is suffering from critical water shortage due to the lack of rain, despite it being the middle of the rainy season.

 

The Meteorological Department has also admitted that rainfall this year will be the lowest in a decade. 

 

“Some provinces in the Northeast, like Buri Ram and Surin, face the risk of taps running dry,” Samroeng Sangphuwong said this week in his capacity as deputy secretary-general at the Office of the National Water Resources.

 

According to him, the water level in seven large Northeast dams is below 30 per cent. These dams are Chulabhorn in Chaiyaphum (28 per cent), Lampao in Kalasin (27 per cent), Ubolrat in Khon Kaen (24 per cent), Lam Nang Rong in Buri Ram (23 per cent), Huai Luang in Udon Thani (23 per cent), Namphung in Sakon Nakhon (21 per cent), and Lam Phra Ploeng in Nakhon Ratchasima (15 per cent). In addition, water levels in as many as 97 medium reservoirs in the area are also below 30 per cent. 

 

 

"Drought will likely hit 105 districts of 12 provinces in the Northeast namely Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Kalasin, Yasothon,

Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Nakhon Ratchasima,” Samroeng concluded.

 

People living in Khon Kaen’s Muang district are already lamenting that they have to purchase water for consumption at Bt40 to Bt50 per container. 

 

Drought has also ravaged thousands of paddy fields in Nakhon Ratchasima, with locals in Phimai district saying this is the worst drought in 50 years. 

 

Meanwhile, Kornravee Sitthichivapak, deputy director general of the Meteorological Department, admitted that even though the rainy season officially began on May 12, the rainfall is far below the average. 

 

“Overall the rainfall is the lowest in 10 years,” she said, adding that this might be because the low-pressure ridges were not powerful enough to induce rain. 

 

In a Facebook post, Plodprasop Suraswadi, a former natural resources and environment minister, advised the government to inform the public of the imminent drought, adding that he visited the Ubolrat Dam last weekend and believes the water-shortage problem will worsen. 

 

“I am certain that El Nino phenomenon will intensify this year. Temperatures will rise and rain will become scarcer,” he said.

 

He claimed that many academics were aware of these threats, but did not dare speak up due to concerns of possible consequences by the powers that be.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30373092

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-07-17

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[marko kok prong]

Global warming, monsoon was very late in India,and now the northern states of bihar,assam ect are inundated,this is a glimpse into the future,most people realise this now,excepts idiots like Trump,yet carbon emissions rose last year and will do again this year,dread to think how the planet will be in 100 years.

[CGW]

Periods of flooding and drought are nothing new to these areas, you only have to look at the story behind Ankor Wat to realise that, trendy though it is to blame it wholly on "us" I remain unconvinced.

Edited July 17, 2019 by CGW

[jaiyen]

One day someone will blame the water shortage on all the millions of tourists taking long showers and drinking too much water !!  

[Bayrat]

15 hours ago, CGW said:

Periods of flooding and drought are nothing new to these areas, you only have to look at the story behind Ankor Wat to realise that, trendy though it is to blame it wholly on "us" I remain unconvinced.

The population of Angkor Wat area removed most of the trees and practiced mono culture which relied heavily on local water resources, leading to soil degradation and drought.  So yeah, humans did contribute.

[RPCVguy]

FORESTS vs RESERVOIRS AS THE PLANET WARMS?
While the south of Thailand is in latitudes that will get more rain annually, the north of Thailand is at latitudes that will bounce between floods and drought. This is at least better than the breadbasket region of China, which is expected to move towards more persistent droughts. El Nino and La Nina patterns of more or less water amplify the global hydrological and this year's WEAK El Nino is at the root of the drought for SE Asia this year.  See this video from NOAA

IF  we store the water in reservoirs as many say, and the years with high rainfall will over-run the storage capacity and require dumping water... flooding those downstream. It is a repeated problem globally - demonstrating the hubris and stubborn determination of societies.

THE MOST persistent way to lower the extreme swings of drought and flood is forests. BECAUSE much of SE Asia has removed so much of the former forest, that resiliency has been lost. It can be restored - but will take effort to sequentially restore pioneer trees, nitrogen fixing trees to kick-start the return to the subsoil fungal networks that are lost when clear-cutting of forest, particularly the older trees. Adding swale lines (water catchment ditches that follow the level contour line the land)  to hillsides made bare by attempting corn or other crops WILL facilitate the rehydration of hills. It is this hydration which established forests naturally facilitate by the sponge-like properties of leaf litter beneath the canopy. Holding water IN THE LAND is the way to dampen the swings now being experienced.
See this image - a cross cut of a swale line on a hillside.


Like it or not, EXTREME WEATHER SWINGS will continue... globally.
Good graphics and summary of why the weather has become more extreme more frequently.

China is late in the game as to restoring forests, but a documentary was done showing the massive project and early results on their Loess Plateau
►

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by RPCVguy
Added details

[Dumbastheycome]

13 minutes ago, RPCVguy said:

While the south of Thailand is in latitudes that will get more rain annually, the north of Thailand is at latitudes that will bounce between floods and drought. This is at least better than the breadbasket region of China, which is expected to move towards more persistent droughts. El Nino and La Nina patterns of more or less water amplify the global hydrological and this year's WEAK El Nino is at the root of the drought for SE Asia this year.  See this video from NOAA

IF  we store the water in reservoirs as many say, and the years with high rainfall will over-run the storage capacity and require dumping water... flooding those downstream. It is a repeated problem globally - demonstrating the hubris and stubborn determination of societies.

THE MOST persistent way to lower the extreme swings of drought and flood is forests. BECAUSE much of SE Asia has removed so much of the former forest, that resiliency has been lost. It can be restored - but will take effort to sequentially restore pioneer trees, nitrogen fixing trees to kick-start the return to the subsoil fungal networks that are lost when clear-cutting of forest, particularly the older trees. Adding swale lines (water catchment ditches that follow the level contour line the land)  to hillsides made bare by attempting corn or other crops WILL facilitate the rehydration of hills. It is this hydration which established forests naturally facilitate by the sponge-like properties of leaf litter beneath the canopy. Holding water IN THE LAND is the way to dampen the swings now being experienced.
See this image - a cross cut of a swale line on a hillside.


Like it or not, EXTREME WEATHER SWINGS will continue... globally.
Good graphics and summary of why the weather has become more extreme more frequently.

I agree with most of what you say. But reservoirs or no reservoirs in high rainfall periods flooding occurs anyway. Reservoirs shouldn't be confused with hydro dams which interrupt natural flow of rivers. The restoration of hillsides is an important factor but much of the drought problem is on flat plain areas of Thailand where the combination of many factors are not at all easy to overcome. Sadly Thailand has demonstrated erratic concern with any long term planning for domestic water supply seemingly on the presumption the rains will always suffice. Even now with empty or near empty reservoirs there is no evidence of any major  attempt to take advantage of that to increase capacity despite the advisory of longer term seasonal droughts .

It will be interesting to see what happens in this current year situation given it is approaching disaster for urban areas as much as for agriculture. 

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

Global warming, monsoon was very late in India,and now the northern states of bihar,assam ect are inundated,this is a glimpse into the future,most people realise this now,excepts idiots like Trump,yet carbon emissions rose last year and will do again this year,dread to think how the planet will be in 100 years.

Water is always available, blaming individuals who haven't learnt how to save or manage resources are the the real culprits.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Perhaps it is the Government response to the pledge that there would be no flooding this year?

[Isaan sailor]

With a Baht this high—no need to worry about tourists using too much water....

[lahgon29]

On 7/17/2019 at 3:49 PM, marko kok prong said:

Global warming, monsoon was very late in India,and now the northern states of bihar,assam ect are inundated,this is a glimpse into the future,most people realise this now,excepts idiots like Trump,yet carbon emissions rose last year and will do again this year,dread to think how the planet will be in 100 years.

You're a dingbat. The Romans were growing wine grapes in England 2000 years ago. Hotter than now. Mini ice age In Europe mid 19th century. It's called climate change and has been happening forever. Try living in Oz.

Noticed how you managed to get Trump into your rant, Einstein. 

[MeePeeMai]

Wow, we went past the Loei river today and I have never seen the water so low.  There's not going to be any water left soon if it doesn't start raining.  This June and July is nothing like June and July in 2018.  We been getting the occasional distant thunder and a sprinkle here and there but that's it.  

[Damrongsak]

17 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

Wow, we went past the Loei river today and I have never seen the water so low.  There's not going to be any water left soon if it doesn't start raining.  This June and July is nothing like June and July in 2018.  We been getting the occasional distant thunder and a sprinkle here and there but that's it.  

I have see it about 20 cm deep and maybe less than 5 meters wide in the off season.  Pics of Loei river near the main town in May and October 2017. In 1977 or 78, there was about a meter of water on the main street by the market (and in my MIL's house) for a day or so.  

 

May 2017  (Phu Bo Bit in background?)

 

Oct 2017

[emptypockets]

Every one seems to comment on the alleged  causes of lack of water.  Nobody mentions the millions and I mean millions of subsistence farmers who rely on the rice crop to survive.  They eat their rice and sell the surplus.  Guess what, in vast areas of Isaan there will be no rice this season .... Nothing.  Unless the government steps in,  and I'm sure they will in Thailand,  thousands will starve. 

Not sure what will happen in Myanmar which is suffering from lack of rain in the northern parts also. 

Pity the happy clapper global warming champions don't actually do something useful. 

[sammieuk1]

For the last 3 nights as I weary up the stairs to wilt its the hottest I have ever known it in 10 years and sure paint comes off at lower temps the cold water shower is to hot to shower need rain now or a general to tell us when we are going to get some ????

[rickudon]

Some people do do something useful. I have a new pond with a couple of metres of water so we will not run out completely this year. Also planted over 30 trees in the last 3 months (which we have to water from the pond, due to the drought). Very noticeable are the higher temperatures we get due to the lower rainfall, typically 32 Centigrade by 8 a.m. and 36 or more later in the day. Even this winter outdoor work was difficult by 10 a.m. because of the heat. Haven't got my jumper out here for 18 months.

 

Just wondering when the mains water will start to fail.

[rickudon]

1 hour ago, lahgon29 said:

You're a dingbat. The Romans were growing wine grapes in England 2000 years ago. Hotter than now. Mini ice age In Europe mid 19th century. It's called climate change and has been happening forever. Try living in Oz.

Noticed how you managed to get Trump into your rant, Einstein. 

It is a fallacy that wine growing died out after the Romans left the UK due to cooling. There were still 139 vineyards in Henry VIII day, and red wine was still being made in the 17th century (during the little ice age). Economics is the reason. It was just cheaper and more productive to grow it in a warmer climate. The death knell of the old British wine industry was free trade - in 1860, the tax on imported wine was slashed, putting most vineyards out of business. The last straw was WW1 when the remaining vineyards were swapped for food production. Commercial vineyards are now found as far north as Yorkshire, further north than the Romans tried.

[RPCVguy]

13 hours ago, RPCVguy said:

FORESTS vs RESERVOIRS AS THE PLANET WARMS?
While the south of Thailand is in latitudes that will get more rain annually, the north of Thailand is at latitudes that will bounce between floods and drought. This is at least better than the breadbasket region of China, which is expected to move towards more persistent droughts. El Nino and La Nina patterns of more or less water amplify the global hydrological and this year's WEAK El Nino is at the root of the drought for SE Asia this year.  See this video from NOAA

IF  we store the water in reservoirs as many say, and the years with high rainfall will over-run the storage capacity and require dumping water... flooding those downstream. It is a repeated problem globally - demonstrating the hubris and stubborn determination of societies.

THE MOST persistent way to lower the extreme swings of drought and flood is forests. BECAUSE much of SE Asia has removed so much of the former forest, that resiliency has been lost. It can be restored - but will take effort to sequentially restore pioneer trees, nitrogen fixing trees to kick-start the return to the subsoil fungal networks that are lost when clear-cutting of forest, particularly the older trees. Adding swale lines (water catchment ditches that follow the level contour line the land)  to hillsides made bare by attempting corn or other crops WILL facilitate the rehydration of hills. It is this hydration which established forests naturally facilitate by the sponge-like properties of leaf litter beneath the canopy. Holding water IN THE LAND is the way to dampen the swings now being experienced.
See this image - a cross cut of a swale line on a hillside.


Like it or not, EXTREME WEATHER SWINGS will continue... globally.
Good graphics and summary of why the weather has become more extreme more frequently.

China is late in the game as to restoring forests, but a documentary was done showing the massive project and early results on their Loess Plateau
►

 

 

12 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

I agree with most of what you say. But reservoirs or no reservoirs in high rainfall periods flooding occurs anyway. Reservoirs shouldn't be confused with hydro dams which interrupt natural flow of rivers. The restoration of hillsides is an important factor but much of the drought problem is on flat plain areas of Thailand where the combination of many factors are not at all easy to overcome. Sadly Thailand has demonstrated erratic concern with any long term planning for domestic water supply seemingly on the presumption the rains will always suffice. Even now with empty or near empty reservoirs there is no evidence of any major  attempt to take advantage of that to increase capacity despite the advisory of longer term seasonal droughts .

It will be interesting to see what happens in this current year situation given it is approaching disaster for urban areas as much as for agriculture. 

The problem is that humans want and our population demands short term fixes to problems created over decades of misuse of the land. It is difficult in the extreme to flood a region of old growth natural forest. The canopy softens the impact, and the leaf litter and soil such litter generates acts as a sponge. Run-off is minimal until much farther down the mountain where natural springs emerge of filtered water. Restoring water into the hillsides and mountains is how the flood plains of Thailand had their aquifers replenished. Instead of such healthy ecological systems, the barren slopes of many hills today (and I count the short term growth of corn or cassava on hills as making them effectively barren)  leads to run-off, erosion and a rapid loss of the rainfall back to the sea. Diverting waters into rice paddies helps, but it is still a far more rapid passage of water than was historically the case.

The example from China is worth viewing, while the link to what is causing more extreme weather is a reason why the societal opportunity for mitigation is short. Acting quickly over large areas can positively change the weather patterns of whatever regions best restore the forests.

[MeePeeMai]

1 hour ago, Damrongsak said:

I have see it about 20 cm deep and maybe less than 5 meters wide in the off season.  Pics of Loei river near the main town in May and October 2017. In 1977 or 78, there was about a meter of water on the main street by the market (and in my MIL's house) for a day or so.  

Our street on May 19, 2017 Nam Tuam in Loei.  Wife could not get out and go to work.  Everything was under water.

 

 

 

[MeePeeMai]

Loei river, Big C in Loei and The Loei Palace Hotel underwater on May 19, 2017

 

 

[MeePeeMai]

I'll see if I can go take some pics tomorrow of the Loei river just for comparison (if it's not raining 5555)

[MeePeeMai]

On 7/16/2019 at 10:18 PM, webfact said:

He claimed that many academics were aware of these threats, but did not dare speak up due to concerns of possible consequences by the powers that be.

This is a large part of what is wrong here.  How can progress be made when everybody is afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation?  Pretending that there is no problem or that it is really not that bad (when it really is) is a recipe for disaster.

[Dumbastheycome]

1 hour ago, RPCVguy said:

 

The problem is that humans want and our population demands short term fixes to problems created over decades of misuse of the land. It is difficult in the extreme to flood a region of old growth natural forest. The canopy softens the impact, and the leaf litter and soil such litter generates acts as a sponge. Run-off is minimal until much farther down the mountain where natural springs emerge of filtered water. Restoring water into the hillsides and mountains is how the flood plains of Thailand had their aquifers replenished. Instead of such healthy ecological systems, the barren slopes of many hills today (and I count the short term growth of corn or cassava on hills as making them effectively barren)  leads to run-off, erosion and a rapid loss of the rainfall back to the sea. Diverting waters into rice paddies helps, but it is still a far more rapid passage of water than was historically the case.

The example from China is worth viewing, while the link to what is causing more extreme weather is a reason why the societal opportunity for mitigation is short. Acting quickly over large areas can positively change the weather patterns of whatever regions best restore the forests.

Again I have no dispute with your valid opinion 

But I also stress the fact that the impact is vastly on the population that have no control of conditions in the immediate term. What would it require in the immediate term? China may present a viable scheme but that's enforceable in terms of political control that is in contrast to that of Thailand unless you propose renewed nationalization of land to make it so in reverse of current proposals to facilitate increased public full title  of land.

The solution is not so simple as an ideology despite validity in the one sense. 

[RPCVguy]

14 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Again I have no dispute with your valid opinion 

But I also stress the fact that the impact is vastly on the population that have no control of conditions in the immediate term. What would it require in the immediate term? China may present a viable scheme but that's enforceable in terms of political control that is in contrast to that of Thailand unless you propose renewed nationalization of land to make it so in reverse of current proposals to facilitate increased public full title  of land.

The solution is not so simple as an ideology despite validity in the one sense. 

The lack of political, social and economic systems that align with what needs be done is indeed the crux of the problem. I don't see what I can do in a society where I have no vote, and I've the similar problems in the society where I can vote. Short term fixes compound future problems.
Individually I encourage my family and community to shift towards forestation - and I plant ideas in many places in hopes of building opinions that wise leadership can build into policies.

[MeePeeMai]

Pics of the Loei River today 19/07/2019

 

Last pic is taken at the bridge going to the Loei Palace Hotel.

[Damrongsak]

2 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

Pics of the Loei River today 19/07/2019

 

Last pic is taken at the bridge going to the Loei Palace Hotel.

Yikes! 

 

The first house I rented in Loei is 500 meters from that bridge, in a direct line, on the other side of the Kut Pong. 

[MeePeeMai]

1 minute ago, Damrongsak said:

Yikes! 

 

The first house I rented in Loei is 500 meters from that bridge, in a direct line, on the other side of the Kut Pong. 

Just curious, what was the rent back then?

Edited July 19, 2019 by MeePeeMai

[Damrongsak]

7 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

What was the rent back then?

I think 500 Baht/month.  At least that's the allowance the Peace Corps provided, if I recall correctly.  Certainly not more than 750.  That was in 1977.

 

I later moved to a small house on stilts right next door to where LOEI'S AMERICAN BURGER was before they closed.  Khiri Rat 3.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Damrongsak

[MeePeeMai]

Just now, Damrongsak said:

I think 500 Baht/month.  At least that's the allowance the Peace Corps provided, if I recall correctly.  Certainly not more than 750.  That was in 1977.

Wow that's amazing, you've been here a long time.  Thanks!

[Damrongsak]

10 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

Wow that's amazing, you've been here a long time.  Thanks!

We're in the USA.  I was in Thailand 1977-1980.  My wife went back for a couple years recently, but is back.  We own a house near Wat Si Wichai Wanaram on the north side of town, Moo 5.  I'll get back for a long visit soon.