ENVIRONMENTAL WATCHDOG

Dams 'fail to meet irrigation needs'

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Uthai Thani

Group fears Mae Wong project will repeat errors made in other provinces

BANGKOK: -- An environmental watchdog agency yesterday revealed that a major dam in Uthai Thani province has been unable to deliver sufficient water to farmers during the 10 years it has been in operation.

The amount of retained water in Tab Salao Dam, located on the Sakhaekrang River, is currently only 27 per cent of its capacity of 198 million cubic metres, said Adisak Janthawichanuwongse, secretary-general of the northern region's Environmental Board.

According to Royal Irrigation Department records, the amount of retained water in the dam last month was 40 million cubic metres.

Established a decade ago, the dam was only able to retain the maximum amount of water in its first year of operation. This has never been repeated, even in the rainy season, he said.

"It is a government mistake in water management, in that the dam has never been able to deliver enough water to farmers' lands," he added.

Sanong Khankankhay, a 59-year-old Uthai Thani farmer, said there was not enough water from Tab Salao Dam to irrigate her 5-rai cassava farm.

"We use only rainwater for our farms, which is not enough," she said while fishing with her husband at the base of the dam.

There is relatively little water flow into Tab Salao Dam because it is located in a rain shadow, a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area, which blocks the passage of rain-producing weather systems and casts a shadow of dryness behind them.

A similar example of inefficient dam-water management is Nakhon Sawan's Klong Poh Dam, which has also failed to retain its full capacity since it was installed last year, he said.

The dam has a maximum retention area of 1,500 rai, but at present only 500 rai is covered by retained water.

Adisak said the two dams were prime examples of the uselessness of some dams for agricultural purposes.

He was speaking while leading a tour of media representatives to survey forested areas that might be affected by the construction of Mae Wong Dam in Nakhon Sawan. The project has been initiated by the Royal Irrigation Department to prevent flooding.

The plan to construct the dam was approved by the government, despite the environmental impact assessment report being rejected by the National Environmental Board.

The construction site of Mae Wong Dam is expected to be at the heart of Mae Wong National Park, in which wild tigers have recently been found.

Adisak is worried that if the government goes ahead with the project, there will be little or no water flowing into the dam, as has happened at Tab Salao and Klong Poh.

Meanwhile, National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department director-general Damrong Phidej said he would visit the proposed construction site in Mae Wong National Park before deciding whether to ask the government to cancel the plan.

"I do not know the exact location of the site of the dam. I did not even know that the dam would be built at the heart of a national park, and that is why I need to see the area for myself," he told The Nation.

-- The Nation 2012-05-02

It was probably what Americans call a "pork" project in that local politicians got the dam funded although not really needed or expected to work as advertised, but it sure brought a lot of construction baht and jobs to the area during the construction (and baht to pockets not even living in the area/hiding in the shadows) and made most of the voting constituents happy at the time.

It was probably what Americans call a "pork" project in that local politicians got the dam funded although not really needed or expected to work as advertised, but it sure brought a lot of construction baht and jobs to the area during the construction (and baht to pockets not even living in the area/hiding in the shadows) and made most of the voting constituents happy at the time.

That is exactly why the Thai government turned down the Dutch offer of help.

They knew the Dutch would give them sound advice in management not in pork barrel projects,

Never saw that coming.