When Piles are Appreciated-Flood defence

[eyecatcher]

I think we can say with confidence that lasts years wet season didn’t bring the flooding that was experienced the year before. I wonder how much of that success was down to the new controlled flood barrier that was built. I ride this stretch of the river most days and I think I recall it being at its highest during Loy Krathong but didnt break the banks.

The good news is the flood defences have not stopped and they are piling concrete sheet piles 6-7m long into the river banks to protect the houses. they are not breaking shells but making steady progress.

You can see when I took the photos last week that the current hot weather….or more likely the flood gates being shut has reduced the water level by a metre, but what I find astonishing is that there is green water staining on the building behind on its walls upto a 1m high., which is about 5 or 6m above the current level.

I wonder how influential the owner of that nice house was in instigating this extra flood defence.

This view looking towards the new flood gates at the point where all the water from the North and West of the city, canal road etc eventually finds its way in.

I understand now the location of the flood barrier as without it, this confluence of the two waterways I imagine to be quite devastating for properties.

Well lets hope this works continues and is effective; I for one have another interest along here which I am now more relaxed about.

[Thailand]

Yes, been watching with interest.

The flood control gates seemed to work despite many naysayers and the continuing work bodes well for the future.

[BillyBobThai]

I am one of those naysayers, and when the water gets truly high those gates are going to show how worthless they really are. My thoughts are that the whole project was just another excuse to skim 30% off the top. Typical Thailand.

[eyecatcher]

Well if you try to understand the principle of flood gates.

The most vulnerable areas to flooding in chiang mai are the areas beyond the gates....which is probably 8km away from nawarrat bridge.

This area is the lowest area and takes the rain collected from the canal road and all that hilly west side.

The downtown market area by comparison doesn't have the same risk, its wider, deeper and businesses along here are not as highly valued as peoples homes further downstream.

The gates will be automatically set to control the flow around the vulnerable areas, presumably closing and holding water in the narawatt areas and allowing the mountain rain rain, canal water to dissipate naturally.

There is still concern I feel otherwise the sheet piles would not be installed.

In comparison, and I am not a londoner, the thames flood barrier was built following 300 deaths on canvey island in 1953. It took a long time but the barrier was completed in 1982.

Maybe a londoner can confirm even after the floods in uk now, whether or not th barrier has been a success or not.

[sfokevin]

As with the Bangkok flood control plans the flooding will not be prevented but just moved to a different area

[mimithewoof]

Eyecatcher - Yes, apparently when the recent massive Atlantic storms hit the UK one after the other and caused devastating floods in Cornwall, Devon, coastal Wales, Somerset and all along the banks of the Thames to the west of London, the Thames flood barrier saved the city centre from being inundated. Storm surges at that time were the highest in a hundred years.