Flood Land In Issan...help Please

[thai_thomas_2006]

Hi there,

i would like to buy some land (it mean for my thai wife for sure...lol ) there in issan area.

Well but i read something about that some places in issan are not really good for buy...because of flood.

Is there any map where i can see the most "dangerous" places in issan cos of flood? Or did anybody know about? How could i know about if it´s dangerous or not..mean what is a good typical sign for it?

I am interesting in a small land who is close to "Pla Pak"....is between Sakhon Nakhon and Nakhon Pranom. A friend of my wife she want to sale it.

Hope anybody can give me some ideas...thank you in advise..

Kop khun krap...

Thomas

[rishi]

Get a topographic map ... don't by near the rivers.

[BKK90210]

For a quick visual observation

Check - Topography or slope of the land, especially its flatness

Look at the distance from the river, its elevation respects to the river OR large body of water source

Check - Type and quality of soils, especially unconsolidated fluvial deposit base material

Typical soil in these areas is “clay”. Heavily clay soil is bad for a good foundation and drainage, especially for septic system

Check - Hydrology and the extent of recurring flooding

Look at the surrounding houses and structures in the neighbourhood for....

The type of elevation for the typical house design of the first floor (how far up is the first floor), and do most houses in the area show any signs of the flood mark(s)? – occasional or recurring every year?

and Try to obtain a flood zone gis map from the local govt

[thai_thomas_2006]

Thanx rishi and especially thanx to BKK 90210 for your help.

Next houses are 2,5 Kilometers far. This land is next to Forest....i guess it also was Forest before...now it seems like they used it as rice field or anything like that.

Where i can get a topography map especially from flood periode(Can´t find it from internet...already look)? I think it don´t will be easy?

By the way....i also already tried to use google earth to have a look on that land. But it seems like google earth don´t suport this area because it show just name of amper.... but i can not zoom more near to see houses or anthing who is really clear.

Greetings

Thomas

[Thaising]

Ask your wife to make inquiry in the surround neighbors about flooding situation for the past 10 years, don’t commit until you have a clearer picture.

Edited August 1, 2006 by Thaising

[astral]

Ask your wife to make inquiry in the surround neighbors about flooding situation for the past 10 years, don’t commit until you have a clearer picture.

Not being close to rivers is no guarantee of dry.

When the monsoon rains come down whole tracts of normally dry land can be flooded.

Make enquiries as Thaising suggests.

Even if there is a flood risk you can build up an area to create an island where you will build the house

[thai_thomas_2006]

Thanx to Thaising and to astral for some useful ideas.

Well,i think astral are right.....not close to river is not a guarantee for dry land.

I think i should have to look on that land by my own eyes.

Not yet found any useful topograp map from internet....also google earth don´t show any clear and good picture from that area in issan.

Kop khun krap

Thomas

Edited August 3, 2006 by thai_thomas_2006

[thai_thomas_2006]

I just found a useful topography map....maybe anybody also is looking for:

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~floods/2004132.html

Greetings

Thomas

[phibunmike]

For a quick visual observation

Check - Topography or slope of the land, especially its flatness

Look at the distance from the river, its elevation respects to the river OR large body of water source

Check - Type and quality of soils, especially unconsolidated fluvial deposit base material

Typical soil in these areas is “clay”. Heavily clay soil is bad for a good foundation and drainage, especially for septic system

Check - Hydrology and the extent of recurring flooding

Look at the surrounding houses and structures in the neighbourhood for....

The type of elevation for the typical house design of the first floor (how far up is the first floor), and do most houses in the area show any signs of the flood mark(s)? – occasional or recurring every year?

and Try to obtain a flood zone gis map from the local govt

To add to above good advice:

Not always necessary to be far from a river. Look at the surrounding land. If there is a huge area of low lying land, how many m3 would it take to fill to the level that it would flood yours ? It is common practice to build emergency flood prevention dykes much *lower* than the dykes beside a river, but further away, so that a large volume of water can be held between them.

Look for marks on trees too, and ask locals....

I am near the mae nam mun, which is very unpredicatable with the dam, but there is so much low land around that I know I am safe with just a 75cm landfill

.

[Loom]

Glad to know someone has topographic maps in Thailand. You can buy good quality satellite images for any area you want (but topographic detail is only down to 90 meters or so). for a specific plot it's probably best just to find out from those who live there or think about building higher than road level. I've also heard that civil engineers can be helpful.

[thai_thomas_2006]

Thanx phibunmike and also Loom for your suggestion.

Well, just now i play with Google earth for try to have a look on a "topography look" from the issan area. But some of the views are not really clear (see Picture).

The left side (the area i want to see )is not clear....can anybody tell me where exacly the problem is? Why i can not see it clear?

Kop khun krap

Earth.pdf

[Loom]

Thanx phibunmike and also Loom for your suggestion.

Well, just now i play with Google earth for try to have a look on a "topography look" from the issan area. But some of the views are not really clear (see Picture).

The left side (the area i want to see )is not clear....can anybody tell me where exacly the problem is? Why i can not see it clear?

Kop khun krap

That's good resolution on the right side and degraded res on the left. It's possible to buy high resolution images from Mapmart.com. But don't assume it will answer your topographic question. As I understand it, best available topography is in 90m increments but I'm almost sure I saw it on Google earth down to about 2m when looking at hurricane flooding in New Orleans last year.