Mayor Checks Out Mae Kha Canal Dredging

[ChiangMaiMail]

Mayor checks out progress of Mae Kha Canal dredging

The Mae Kha Canal is filled with quick growing water hyacinth and other invasive pest plants; the city has begun removing the plants.

Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn joined city workers to inspect dredging of Mae Kha Canal near the dusit D2 Hotel on Thursday, May 10, 2012. The Mae Kha Canal is overgrown with water hyacinth and the city has been working to remove the plants and other growth impeding the flow of water in the canal to prepare for the upcoming rainy season.

The Mayor said that the canal is very important for the city as it catches water overflow from roads and if the canal is not able to take up the overflow then drainage will be disrupted. The city is in the process of removing massive amounts of the quick growing and invasive water hyacinth and other pest plants. He said they hope to have 11 km fully dredged so that the water will be able to flow through quickly. The city is working on fixing the sewers, cleaning out street drainage and the Sri Donchai bridges.

He noted that the Mae Kha canal is the second most important waterway after the Ping River which has also been undergoing dredging and cleaning in preparation for the rainy season. He concluded that while this will not solve the problem permanently in areas that flood in heavy and persistent rains like last year but that it will help to accelerate the flow of movement of water and that along with installing water pumps that should help alleviate flooding.

Chiang Mai Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn discusses the dredging plans.

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