Ping River Water Level

[silverhawk_usa]

I recently moved to a house on the Ping north of the outer ring rd. The river seems incredibly low, in fact less than waist deep. My neighbors, who have lived here a long time are concerned. They are afraid with the low level the underground water tables are going to deplete and dry up their wells.

They say it should be quite a bit higher by now and are concerned that maybe it is being diverted to fill up the reservoirs or some such thing.

Anyone with any knowledge/opinions?

[Steve2UK]

I lived in a house by the Ping (Pa Tan area) all of last year - fully expecting to see it become a raging torrent in the wet season i.e. including July. It never did - just sometimes got a bit faster and browner after a few days of heavy rains in the mountains up north. At its deepest there (on the outside of the bend - therefore faster flow), it's barely 6ft/2 metres; in the slack water parts that build up sediment, it's barely thigh-deep - dredging notwithstanding. Speaking of dredging, the whole idea of the major programme of works in the last 18 months has been to allow the river to carry more water without flooding as it did 2-3 years back - so it stands to reason that levels would now be lower like for like. Anyhow, there's a couple of wet months to come yet..........

AFAIK, the reservoirs only release water into the Ping rather than take water from it - but, of course releasing/not releasing also affects the volume of water in the river....... just the other way around.

As to the wells, I'm pretty sure the groundwater tables are well (no pun intended ) below river-bed level.

[Bill97]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

[Rtwo]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

And at the moment it's less than 25% full!

[Bill97]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

And at the moment it's less than 25% full!

So?

[Ajarn]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

I disagree with you saying it comes largely from Mae Ngat. It doesn't come from Mae Ngat, but mostly upstream from Chiang Dao area

[Bill97]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

I disagree with you saying it comes largely from Mae Ngat. It doesn't come from Mae Ngat, but mostly upstream from Chiang Dao area

I really do not know whether the larger quantity of water originates in the Ping upstream from Chiang Dao or from the other tributaries to the Ping which flow through Mae Ngat Reservoir. You could well be correct that the Chiang Dao side gives a larger quantity of water. Do you have a source?

Anyway, I do not think we disagree because my statement was about how the flow is controlled not where most of the water came from. What controls the flow of the Ping water that comes down from upstream from the Chiang Dao area? I could not find any map or source that indicated there were any significant controls on flows from North of CM except the Mae Ngat Dam but there certainly may be something I did not find.

[Rtwo]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

And at the moment it's less than 25% full!

So?

So perhaps that accounts for the fact that they aren't letting much water out through the dams sluices and into the Ping that would then result in a lower water level in the river than is normal at this time of the year. That is of course dependent upon the fact that Ajarn's suggestion that your assertion that water from Mae Ngat plays the largest part in influencing the flow is wrong, is itself wrong.

Personally I think it has something to do with the rain or rather the lack of it. But then again I might be wrong, maybe somebody's stealing the water and bottling it. Either way there's definitely less water in the river than normal, it must have gone somewhere unless of course it was never there in the first place.

[Rtwo]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

I disagree with you saying it comes largely from Mae Ngat. It doesn't come from Mae Ngat, but mostly upstream from Chiang Dao area

You could well be correct that the Chiang Dao side gives a larger quantity of water. Do you have a source?

I thought a river had to have source.

[Bill97]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

And at the moment it's less than 25% full!

So?

So perhaps that accounts for the fact that they aren't letting much water out through the dams sluices and into the Ping that would then result in a lower water level in the river than is normal at this time of the year. That is of course dependent upon the fact that Ajarn's suggestion that your assertion that water from Mae Ngat plays the largest part in influencing the flow is wrong, is itself wrong.

Personally I think it has something to do with the rain or rather the lack of it. But then again I might be wrong, maybe somebody's stealing the water and bottling it. Either way there's definitely less water in the river than normal, it must have gone somewhere unless of course it was never there in the first place.

How many different dams have sluices that significantly feed the Ping north of CM? Big ones that can provide significant flows.

Based on historical flow rates for the Ping in CM town, how much lower is it this July compared to normal Julys?

Edited July 18, 2008 by Bill97

[Flatouthruthefog]

Water level in the Ping can affect people who have shallow wells nearby. Several years ago they dredged a section North of CM and that resulted in a lower level for water in the river which resulted in many wells having no water.

Ping River flow is largely controlled by the amount of water released from the Mae Ngat reservoir.

I disagree with you saying it comes largely from Mae Ngat. It doesn't come from Mae Ngat, but mostly upstream from Chiang Dao area

I'm not sure who is correct here, except that we must remember that the very large Mae Kuang reservoir, west of Doi Saket, is also a big contributor.

Having seen this thread I asked a Doi Saket neighbour yesterday who works there what the state of the water level was and he said "about right for this time of year - no worries about a drought next dry season". And in fact, measured releases into small local waterways are indeed feeding the local rice paddies nicely.

The shallow nature of the Ping (now dredged indeed) and the weirs (about which we hear little) are 2 factors. But the No 1 mystery is WHO decides and WHERE and WHEN to route excessive south-bound water into the Ping or the Irrigation Canal!!!???

If we had any meaningful local media they would FIND AND NAME THAT GUILTY MAN!!

[Bill97]

But the No 1 mystery is WHO decides and WHERE and WHEN to route excessive south-bound water into the Ping or the Irrigation Canal!!!???

If we had any meaningful local media they would FIND AND NAME THAT GUILTY MAN!!

Yes but the job is a balancing act with rain/runoff as an unknown. There is no doubt that in the past it would have been a lot better if he defined his target level of "full" with a greater recognition that the dam has a role in flood control, not just irrigation.

[silverhawk_usa]

Thought a premonition came true last night. My pump into the water holding tank ran continuously. Upon checking I found I had no water! I share a well with a home down the road which is vacant. After a few calls and having it checked today, it seems the "handy man" turned off the valve to my house when making some repairs and forgot to turn it back on. A scare for a few hours. Yes, I know it is not the ideal setup but I didn't design it.

Please keep the replies coming. Interesting even if there has not been a definitive answer yet. I know of a website that lists levels and norms for the Mekong. Anyone know of one for the Ping?

[hihhih]

I know of a website that lists levels and norms for the Mekong. Anyone know of one for the Ping?

How about this one:

http://www.hydro-1.net/

=> =>

http://www.hydro-1.net/08HYDRO/HD-04/4-01.htm

(P.1 = Navarat Bridge)

[silverhawk_usa]

I know of a website that lists levels and norms for the Mekong. Anyone know of one for the Ping?

How about this one:

http://www.hydro-1.net/

=> =>

http://www.hydro-1.net/08HYDRO/HD-04/4-01.htm

(P.1 = Navarat Bridge)

Thanks. It looks like a lot of information. Now if I could do more than just look at the pictures (as I don't read Thai) I would be all set. Have to see if the TGF can do any translating.

[hihhih]

Direct URL changed right after I sent it here... now it looks like

http://www.hydro-1.net/08HYDRO/HD-04/4-01-DOCS/4-01.htm

Here's a couple of weeks data in picture format (Navarat)