Dams drying up, drought may drag into 2020

By The Nation

 

 

With water levels still critical at several dams around Thailand, officials speculate that drought impacts could persist into 2020, possibly having a catastrophic effect on next year’s growing season.

 

In the West, Vajiralongkorn Dam in Kanchanaburi is at 51 per cent capacity with 4,500 million cubic metres of water, down from 70 per cent last year at this time.

 

Meagre rainfall upstream from the dam is delivering only 10 million cubic metres a day rather than the usual 15-20 million.

 

“If this trend continues, it could affect next year’s crops, so farmers are advised to grow crops that require less water,” said Waiwit Saengpanich, director of the Vajiralongkorn Dam.

 

In the Northeast, Sirindhorn Dam in Ubon Ratchathani is at 5 per cent capacity, Chulabhorn Dam in Chaiyaphum at 4 per cent and Ubolrat Dam in Khon Kaen at less than 1 per cent.

 

Other dams at less than 30 per cent capacity include Lam Phra Ploeng in Nakhon Ratchasima (at 15 per cent), Namphung in Sakon Nakhon (20), Huai Luang in Udon Thani (21) and Lam Nang Rong in Buri Ram (also 21).

 

In Lamphun, more than 1,000 rai of rice fields are suffering from drought, pointing to an estimated 15-20 per cent decrease in annual rice production volume. The province’s other economic crops like longan are affected less severely.

 

“Although this year’s longan production has dropped 20 per cent, the relative shortage also drives up the price, to Bt35 or Bt40 per kilogram rather than the Bt20-30 last year,” one official said.

 

In Chai Nat, four large water pumps have been installed to move water from the Chai Nat-Pasak Canal to more than 4,000 rai of rice fields in Manorom district.

 

Samak Junchoi, 65, a farmer there, said this year’s drought is particularly severe and he would have lost his entire 60 rai of rice within two weeks if not for the pumps.

 

In Nakhon Ratchasima’s Buayai district, the water level in reservoirs available for drinking is expected to last only two more months if there’s no rain soon.

 

Dozens of portable water pumps are siphoning water from small ponds for the Provincial Waterworks Authority to purify for use as tap water.

 

Residents of Pimai district are collecting cockles in the now-dry Lamchamuak Reservoir, earning money to compensate for revenue lost on their farms.

 

Sasiprapha Kubathonglang, 25, said she picks 20-30kg of cockles a day that can sell for Bt20 per kg at the local markets, so she’s earning Bt400-500 daily for her family.

 

The website www.thaiwater.net reported on Tuesday (July 30) that 35 major dams have low water levels. Twenty of them are in a critical state at under 30 per cent capacity and 10 are at severe level, four of those in Northeast.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30373918

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand  2019-07-30

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6 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“Although this year’s longan production has dropped 20 per cent, the relative shortage also drives up the price, to Bt35 or Bt40 per kilogram rather than the Bt20-30 last year,” one official said.

doesn't help the 20% does it; if you have zero kilograms to sell it doesn't matter how high the price is.

14 minutes ago, taichiplanet said:

doesn't help the 20% does it; if you have zero kilograms to sell it doesn't matter how high the price is.

It still good for the farmers.. 20 drop in production but raise in price of almost 50% so they still win.

Catastrophe in the drying up. Let’s just hope for rain. I think CM is going to be ok temporarily, but this could be soooo tragic. Maybe the sub can pump some fresh water to fulfill Thailand’s needs when they get it. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

 

In Chai Nat, four large water pumps have been installed to move water from the Chai Nat-Pasak Canal to more than 4,000 rai of rice fields in Manorom district.

 

Samak Junchoi, 65, a farmer there, said this year’s drought is particularly severe and he would have lost his entire 60 rai of rice within two weeks if not for the pumps.

Now at least he won't lose any next year because there's no water left he won't be planting any.

44 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Catastrophe in the drying up. Let’s just hope for rain. I think CM is going to be ok temporarily, but this could be soooo tragic. Maybe the sub can pump some fresh water to fulfill Thailand’s needs when they get it. 

Looks like they want to buy more subs so the outlook is positively rosy!There's also the fact that when the dams on the Mekong dry up they won't be producing much electrickery!Maybe solar might have been a better choice!

should Thailand dismantle all the dams and reservoirs because we don't need them anymore? Tear them all out along with the waterways?

 

or is this a good time to build more? it is really hard to know. 

 

 

8 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

should Thailand dismantle all the dams and reservoirs because we don't need them anymore? Tear them all out along with the waterways. 

 

or is this a good time to build more? it is really hard to know. 

 

 

In oz one of the most driest  countries (Continent) we draw most of our water from groundwater and yes we have dams but they are almost empty I am talking about WA now we also have a couple of desalination plants which keeps us going  

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Samak Junchoi, 65, a farmer there, said this year’s drought is particularly severe and he would have lost his entire 60 rai of rice within two weeks if not for the pumps.

Just curious Khun Samak, you didn't burn any crops during the dry season right? 

Sorry for my silly, unrelated question.

11 hours ago, robblok said:

It still good for the farmers.. 20 drop in production but raise in price of almost 50% so they still win.

especially if people buy at that price

26 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

especially if people buy at that price

That is true.. but obviously they do otherwise the price would be lower. 

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

so farmers are advised to grow crops that require less water,

Hmmmm, I wonder what? Medicinal?

Surprised that Phuket wasn't mentioned.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/running-empty-water-officials-to-splash-b277mn-on-private-sources-as-reservoirs-fail-to-fill-72093.php#PGbcVuEc2abuviEz.97

13 hours ago, robblok said:

It still good for the farmers.. 20 drop in production but raise in price of almost 50% so they still win.

With 80% of Thai longan being exported (https://www.freshplaza.com/article/2178432/thailand-we-export-most-of-our-longan-to-china/), middlemen distributors likely take a large part of the price increase. Farmers in general don't benefit from higher global prices (in the short term at least). This was a recent complaint repeated by PM Prayut. A drop in production may actually hurt the farmer in terms of production costs by losing an economy of scale - that reduces the profit margin.

In the long term China is ramping up its own production of longan for domestic consumption, putting further price pressures on Thai longan.

Excavate existing catchment areas while they have easy access....

south is just as bad, my dam which is usually full this time of year has about half a metre in it, I can usually stop watering our trees by hand in april as well but this year I still need to keep watering now plus the days are hotter. This dry spell/drought is effecting a lot of areas in Thailand, while we have had a couple of down pours since wet season started it is not enough to put water in the dam or maintain the trees. Just hope we get some late wet season rain this year or I will have to continue to buy water in or lose many of our trees

At the moment it seems it's all about the farmers having no water, 

when the water stops coming out of the taps in households,thats

when the Government is really going to have problems.

regards worgeordie

Let us not forget, Thailand’s best buddy, China continues to build dams on Mekong. But no worries now...Bank of Thailand has made so much hot money, that they can now purchase water and hydroelectric power from the ChiComs.