Low rain spurs fear of drought in Thailand

[webfact]

WEATHER
Low rain spurs fear of drought
The Nation


Crops in paddy fields in Chaiyaphum province are withering because of water shortages. Farmers say the drought has already hit more than 100,000 rai of fields while local authorities report that raw water supplies are running low.

Officials praying for a wet October, with levels in some dams very low

BANGKOK: -- Despite being in the middle of the wet season, there are already fears of drought in the North, as the volume of rain has been unseasonably low, leaving two key dams in the region partially empty. In addition, the unusually infrequent rains in the Northeast are causing the same problem with water reservoirs in the region.

The situation in the Northeast province of Nakhon Ratchasima is worse than in Tak and Uttaradit, where Bhumibol Dam and Sirikit Dam are located respectively, as the release of water from the dams would be heavily limited due to a lower level of rain in October.

October is usually peak of the wet season in Thailand.

The situation in the Central region is slightly better, where the volume of rainwater is not very low in most areas, including Kanchanaburi where Srinagarindra and Vajiralongkorn dams are located. These dams will still be able to release enough water for irrigation by the year's end, provided the volume of rain remains constant, Thanarat Phummakasikorn, director of Srinagarindra Dam, said.

Phisut Chokekhatiwat, director of Tak's Bhumibol Dam, said the reservoir contained a little over 100 million cubic metres of water at a time when the amount is usually three times higher.

Suthep Lertsrimongkhol, director of Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit, described the situation as "worrying", saying that the water level of his dam was at 13 per cent of full capacity, which would not be sufficient to irrigate farms if there is no significant rainfall.

Last year, Bhumibol Dam had 4,431 cubic metres of water at this time of the year, compared to 4,251 cubic metres this year, Phisut said.

"If this continues, the Royal Irrigation Department [RID], which operates all government dams, will have to ask farmers to skip their off-season farming," he said.

Low releases a risk to fish farms

Ubolrat Dam in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen has released less water than normal, Phinyo Thongsing said. Phinyo is director of the Ubolrat Dam and also supervises all hydropower dams in the region.

This dam is only about 27 per cent full due to the lack of rains, and is only able to release some 2 million cubic metres a day, compared its regular rate of 3 million cubic metres, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Phisut said the insufficient release of water could also mean that seawater flow into rivers or estuaries in lower regions, which in turn would damage fish farms and affect the production of tap water. The shortage will be most felt in January or February, when the rains stop and sea levels rise.

Suthep said normally Sirikit Dam reached 6 billion units of water, which was enough for farming, but this year, the dam will have no more than 4 billion units from now until late October when the wet season ends.

The two dams, which also produce hydropower, are key water storage resources for the entire Mae Ping River basin in the North.

RID will be meeting soon to discuss possible management of water resources in case of drought.

The Mae Ping is one of the four tributaries of the Chao Phya River and contributes greatly to the water volume used in the Central region, which is the country's key farming area. Insufficient water supply could result in farms being affected, while excessive water can bring about flooding.

Reflecting his concern over possible lack of water, Suthep said he "prayed" that there would be at least 1 billion units saved from rain in September and October so Sirikit Dam can continue releasing water at its normal rate. He explained that if there were sufficient rains in areas south of Uttaradit - or in the entire Central region - then Sirikit Dam could release 7 million units of water daily to supply farmland.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Low-rain-spurs-fear-of-drought-30241682.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-25

[canuckamuck]

Been raining in Chinag Rai for a month, nearly daily, and sometimes quite intense. I wonder if they haven't just mismanaged the water again.

Lots of rainy season left anyhow.

[MaxLee]

Been raining in Chinag Rai for a month, nearly daily, and sometimes quite intense. I wonder if they haven't just mismanaged the water again.

Lots of rainy season left anyhow.

Yep, I've also heard that Ubon Ratchatani was severely flooded... but nobody in downtown cares... Edited August 25, 2014 by MaxLee

[bunnydrops]

Just north of Korat. We have been getting maybe 30 minutes of rain a week. Some farmers have replanted 3 times already and have run out of seed. The Klong where the lucky had their farms next to was pumped dry last week.

[phosphorescent]

It has nothing to do with the lack of rain. It has to do with the releasing of too much water from dams prior to the rainy season in an attempt to reduce the risk of flooding. Any idiot could have predicted this as there are rarely severe floods two years in a row.

[chainarong]

Some area's are in drought , that makes it hard for rice farmers or any farmer for that matter, water management in Thailand has been only given lip service for years, now the roosters have come home to roost , this could now become the norm and is a worrying trend all over the world , not enough water, the case for less talking and more action, certainly warrants looking at.

[goatfarmer]

Lowest rainfall in Pattaya for at least ten years. There's enough to keep things green. But the water table is getting pretty low.

[rametindallas]

This is Nature's way of keeping the rice glut from getting worse. There are areas that are natural for rice production and there are unnatural areas for rice production. Maybe this will weed out those trying to grow rice in areas not suited for rice production. Not being mean; just being practical. That last Rice Support Scheme caused too many to enter the rice farming market and many others to expand more that the water supply could support. You can't fight Mother Nature.

[Emster23]

"Low rain spurs fear of drought" this should shut up those who say Thais are not good at science and reasoning.

Edited August 25, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[rakman]

Been raining in Chinag Rai for a month, nearly daily, and sometimes quite intense. I wonder if they haven't just mismanaged the water again.

Lots of rainy season left anyhow.

Most of the water from Chiang Rai heads north to the Mekong, not south to Bhumibol Dam and Chao Phya river

[Eneukman]

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Lowest rainfall in Pattaya for at least ten years. There's enough to keep things green. But the water table is getting pretty low.

I've been here just over 9 years and this year has had the lowest rainfall to date that I can recall. I recently found a web-site on the internet which compared rainfall this year with the average rainfall per month. It showed that the total rainfall in Pattaya was about half what we normally receive. It's going to take a lot of rain over the next few months to make that up.

A few spots of rain yesterday but not the downpour that's desperately needed.

Alan

[zyphodb]

I live in Chaiyaphum province & we've only had on average about 1 hour of rain a week since the start of the rainy season, The pond my wife uses to irrigate her little bit of paddy has been empty for months. This time last year it was overflowing, there is very little rice being grown around here which is v.bad news for the locals who grow the rice to eat, not to sell.... Not good.

[Peung]

If the Bumibol dam has only 4,251 cubic metres of water this year then we really are in trouble. The capacity of this dam is 13,462,000,000 m3

[i claudius]

Lowest rainfall in Pattaya for at least ten years. There's enough to keep things green. But the water table is getting pretty low.

I have never known it so dry here in Pattaya ,but the wife keeps telling me next month it will rain ,i hope she is right as its me who waters the garden(she washes the car)

[canuckamuck]

Been raining in Chinag Rai for a month, nearly daily, and sometimes quite intense. I wonder if they haven't just mismanaged the water again.

Lots of rainy season left anyhow.

Most of the water from Chiang Rai heads north to the Mekong, not south to Bhumibol Dam and Chao Phya river

Yes but we are not so very far from Chiang mai and the Ping basin

[goatfarmer]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Lowest rainfall in Pattaya for at least ten years. There's enough to keep things green. But the water table is getting pretty low.

I've been here just over 9 years and this year has had the lowest rainfall to date that I can recall. I recently found a web-site on the internet which compared rainfall this year with the average rainfall per month. It showed that the total rainfall in Pattaya was about half what we normally receive. It's going to take a lot of rain over the next few months to make that up.

A few spots of rain yesterday but not the downpour that's desperately needed.

Alan

I've been here 13 years and experienced something like this many years ago. No doubt we'll get the mother of all downpours in a week or three.

[Tomtomtom69]

I agree - this has definitely been the driest "rainy" season that I can recall in years. Mind you I haven't necessarily been in Thailand all the time over the last few years, but based on weather statistics from the internet and local's reports, I am certain that this year has been the driest for a number of years.

I highly doubt we'll suddenly see a resurgence of the rainy season over the next couple of weeks/months - this year is dry and that's the way it will stay until at least the next rainy season next year. If we haven't had much rain so far, then there won't be much more next month, probably just more of the same. Typically the rainy season is all but over by early October anyways (contrary to the Nation's claim that October is the "peak" of the rainy season, when in fact it's actually the end), last year the rains essentially stopped after the first week of October though there was a bit of rain here and there into November, same as in 2012, when November was rainier (at least in Bangkok) compared to October.

[Halion]

It would appear that a national trait of this nation is fear. They fear so many things yet fail to take action against them. It simply defies logic and makes me fearful.

[belg]

good news for the sellers of the rice depots ?

[kerrysum]

It has nothing to do with the lack of rain. It has to do with the releasing of too much water from dams prior to the rainy season in an attempt to reduce the risk of flooding. Any idiot could have predicted this as there are rarely severe floods two years in a row.

I would certainly agree with that.......So I guess they are managing a drought, when there isn't any?

[kerrysum]

My wife just returned from Thailand, she was there for 2 months, and it rained everyday..... Right in Mukdahan....I think Thailand needs a plan, instead of hyper-(you fill in the blanks) Just my opinion......

[allexx]

In Pattaya.

June 44 mm

July 16 mm

Figures up to 25 August 13 mm

Total 1 Jan-1Aug. 184 mm of rain.

Edited August 25, 2014 by allexx

[chinostar]

Burning season coming up soon.

[thaiguzzi]

Depends where you are. here in Udon province, it's been one of the wettest in 11 years here.

[Gonsalviz]

We could gladly share some of the rain from Nong Bua Lamphu. There is more than enough to go around.

2 years ago though that was definitely not the case.