Water levels in Thailand's largest dams hit 10-year low

[webfact]

WATER
Water levels in country's largest dams hit 10-year low
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Water retained in Bhumibol and Sirikit dams, the nation's biggest reservoirs, is well below the 10-year average, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) said.

The agency warned that this could affect all activities that depend on water from the two reservoirs, either for agricultural or consumption purposes.

As of Wednesday, the water reserves in Bhumibol Dam had reached 5,949 million cubic metres or 44 per cent of capacity, Egat said in a statement.

Of the total, only 2,149 million cubic metres could be released for agricultural and consumption purposes.

Available water in Sirikit Dam stood at 1,807 million cubic metres, which added to the water available in the Bhumibhol Dam came up to 3,956 million cubic metres.

Though that is 313 million cubic metres above the level in the same period last year, it is 2,600 million cubic metres below the 10-year average, Egat pointed out.

Egat assistant governor Natchaphon Phumwiangsri said the problem could worsen owing to the cultivation of water-consuming plants as well as faster-than-expected intrusion of seawater in the Chao Phraya River.

As tapwater production and irrigated areas could be affected by seawater, water has been released from the Bhumibol and Sirikit dams to ease the problem.

-- The Nation 2014-03-14

[Dr Bruce]

More rubbish from The Nation, there is more water than there was last year.

[WhizBang]

So, no floods this year then.

[expat888]

So, no floods this year then.

Most news is a lie so I would say expect a flood.

[Tatsujin]

Whatever is announced in Thailand, believe the opposite . . . so we get more floods this year! lol

[trogers]

So, no floods this year then.

Regular rain does not cause flood. It is the long dry spell and then subsequent exceptionally heavy rainy months that cause flood.

So, it is still too early to tell.

[lostmebike]

What happened to the water management project? Has it started yet? Or are Somchais still feeding from the trough?

[Lupatria]

Did they release the water to keep farmers from growing more rice in an attempt to relieve the bursting warehouses?

[ginjag]

So, no floods this year then.

Regular rain does not cause flood. It is the long dry spell and then subsequent exceptionally heavy rainy months that cause flood.

So, it is still too early to tell.

Do not forget the great flood 2 years ago, was mega, more so because, of his own admittance the minister in charge did NOT release water out of the dams until the severe downpours started---TOO Late it added up to rivers could not cope with both amounts.

[JoeThePoster]

A thousand boats to push the water back upstream will do the trick.

[ginjag]

10 YEAR average. so if it was a 30 year average it is still the same claptrap.

as a poster pointed out, it is at a higher level than last year.

Also on the drought topic the last 3 days, note the Mekong river is 1 meter higher than last year.

Are we fed with #### ??? who thinks of these headlines, get something that is more to the point and not misleading.

Surely the topic should be, levels are higher than last year, but over a 10 year period stats prove the levels are below the average over the long term.

[lostmebike]

So, no floods this year then.

Regular rain does not cause flood. It is the long dry spell and then subsequent exceptionally heavy rainy months that cause flood.

So, it is still too early to tell.

Do not forget the great flood 2 years ago, was mega, more so because, of his own admittance the minister in charge did NOT release water out of the dams until the severe downpours started---TOO Late it added up to rivers could not cope with both amounts.

And to compound the problem, have you seen how shallow some of these rivers are?

[Sandman77]

There is a app in AppStore

Called Thai Damm you can check the water levels with the iPhone!

[ginjag]

So, no floods this year then.

Regular rain does not cause flood. It is the long dry spell and then subsequent exceptionally heavy rainy months that cause flood.

So, it is still too early to tell.

Do not forget the great flood 2 years ago, was mega, more so because, of his own admittance the minister in charge did NOT release water out of the dams until the severe downpours started---TOO Late it added up to rivers could not cope with both amounts.

And to compound the problem, have you seen how shallow some of these rivers are?

My ginjag #11

Some rivers are very low, and some are near other rivers that are higher. Sounds to me that water management is good in some areas and not in others--also industry is raking off volumes more than before other cases are farmers draining off the smaller rivers for a further crop.

Many factors involved. But as you say some areas are not only drier BUT it seems HOTTER than last year, here in Udon I think it is hotter than last year, evaporation has made these dams etc to lose vast amounts.

Every year it varies but the main problem is the water minister and his nationwide management team, it runs with most departments of government, wrong people placed in exec posts.

[bigbamboo]

Perhaps Tiny Tears could cry us a river.

And Plod could dam it.

[ginjag]

Perhaps Tiny Tears could cry us a river.

And Plod could dam it.

Dam it with Plod.

[gabruce]

More rubbish from The Nation, there is more water than there was last year.

So where is the inaccuracy? What were the numbers from the same time last year? I'm not surprised to hear that any media here is unable to report accurately, however it would be helpful to point out the exact mistakes they make. Are the water levels incorrect, or are they just focusing on the amount that authorities are willing to release for use and that figure of course isn't necessarily related to the actual water level. They are only reporting the difference in water available for use.

By the way, I don't expect a reply because I doubt you know whether the report is incorrect or not. You only know that you hate and distrust the Nation. My opinion only, not based in fact since I don't know you.

[soalbundy]

I don't care, my water comes out of the tap

[billd766]

I don't care, my water comes out of the tap

Lucky you.

Where I live in Khampaeng Phet province the government water suppy stopped over a month ago and is not expected to come back until possibly May.

The klong across the road from the house is now less than 1 metre wide and if you step into it the water won't reack your ankle.

As a comparison in the floods of 2011 the klong was over 4 metres deep and about 50 metres wide.

It IS hotter this year and we have only had about 20 mm of rain since the end of October. In January there was no rain and so far this month there has been no rain either.

[h90]

So, no floods this year then.

No they will hold back all the water till November so we have our flood....

[Thai at Heart]

10 YEAR average. so if it was a 30 year average it is still the same claptrap.

as a poster pointed out, it is at a higher level than last year.

Also on the drought topic the last 3 days, note the Mekong river is 1 meter higher than last year.

Are we fed with #### ??? who thinks of these headlines, get something that is more to the point and not misleading.

Surely the topic should be, levels are higher than last year, but over a 10 year period stats prove the levels are below the average over the long term.

Statistical interpretation isn't a strength in thailand.

[ginjag]

I don't care, my water comes out of the tap

Last year I dug my own well, dig down at the most driest time of the year, keep digging until you get water trickling in at the base.

In some areas you will have to go lower than others, I dug down 16 rings. cost -local man 150 baht a ring depth. pulley and bucket . one at the top emptying the other digging.

When we reached the water try to get 1 more ring down. a few buckets of stone chips for the base. finally insert rings carefully until the top ring is 30 cm above land level. Pvc pipe down to one ring from the bottom. pump at the top. water. no polluted village water from lake/river .

Not forgetting you have village water as an added bonus.

Edited March 14, 2014 by ginjag

[soalbundy]

I don't care, my water comes out of the tap

Lucky you.

Where I live in Khampaeng Phet province the government water suppy stopped over a month ago and is not expected to come back until possibly May.

The klong across the road from the house is now less than 1 metre wide and if you step into it the water won't reack your ankle.

As a comparison in the floods of 2011 the klong was over 4 metres deep and about 50 metres wide.

It IS hotter this year and we have only had about 20 mm of rain since the end of October. In January there was no rain and so far this month there has been no rain either.

I was only trying to be funny. I stopped using the government water 6 years ago being unsatisfied with the lack of pressure and bought a deep well water pump. I had a bore hole drilled 30 meters and the pump was installed never looked back since.Up till now i've never been short of water so all is hunky dory in Surin in Isaan.

[billd766]

I don't care, my water comes out of the tap

Lucky you.

Where I live in Khampaeng Phet province the government water suppy stopped over a month ago and is not expected to come back until possibly May.

The klong across the road from the house is now less than 1 metre wide and if you step into it the water won't reack your ankle.

As a comparison in the floods of 2011 the klong was over 4 metres deep and about 50 metres wide.

It IS hotter this year and we have only had about 20 mm of rain since the end of October. In January there was no rain and so far this month there has been no rain either.

I was only trying to be funny. I stopped using the government water 6 years ago being unsatisfied with the lack of pressure and bought a deep well water pump. I had a bore hole drilled 30 meters and the pump was installed never looked back since.Up till now i've never been short of water so all is hunky dory in Surin in Isaan.

Sadly we live on the slopes of a series of hills with some sort of granite rock from about 2 metres depth. Nobody on this side has a borehole as the cost would be prohibitive. I have 20 concrete ongs interconnected with 6 more in reserve but now I am down to my last 4 full ones. The fire truck comes from the big village and tops everybodys ongs up every few days. He gave us 3 ongs worth last week so we still have some left but I haven't seen him since then.

I have some ideas to expand my storage but that is on hold for a while.

New water tank v02.xls

[PepperMe]

More rubbish from The Nation, there is more water than there was last year.

Actually it is more a case of

'more rubbish' from YOU/.

It is only March, there are 4 to 5 months of dry season remaining.

Wait till the real hot season is in full swing, then look at the numbers. These dams may well dry up altogether and farmlands are already parched across the nation and crops on the verge of withering away.

Many parts of the country are already declared disaster zones...

If we have a particularly dry rainy season this year, prepare more massive problems for the country. Because there will be another long dry season ahead of it next year.

[jaideeguy]

I see the rice farmers around CM struggling to get enough water to irrigate this year. Been quite dry up north and I hear that a lot of the reservoirs are quite low and the farmers are pumping their small ponds almost dry already and it's still a couple of months until harvest.

[Lupatria]

Perhaps Tiny Tears could cry us a river.

And Plod could dam it.

Looks like the lady is already running on her last drop

[Lupatria]

10 YEAR average. so if it was a 30 year average it is still the same claptrap.

as a poster pointed out, it is at a higher level than last year.

Also on the drought topic the last 3 days, note the Mekong river is 1 meter higher than last year.

Are we fed with #### ??? who thinks of these headlines, get something that is more to the point and not misleading.

Surely the topic should be, levels are higher than last year, but over a 10 year period stats prove the levels are below the average over the long term.

Statistical interpretation isn't a strength in thailand.

Wouldn't it be nice to know which one is?