Chiang Mai facing most severe drought in 16 years

[webfact]

Chiang Mai facing most severe drought in 16 years

CHIANG MAI, 5 December 2014 (NNT) -- The Northern province of Chiang Mai is facing the worst water shortage in many year due to much less rainfall this year.

Mae Kuang Udom Thara Dam, one of the two major dams that provide water for arable land inthe Chiang Mai basin, has the lowest water level in 16 years. Chiang Mai's 1st irrigation Office announced that it would not release any water for rice fields in the coming dry season.

Meanwhile, the Department of Royal Irrigation is speeding up a project linking Mae Kuang Udom Thara with Mae Ngad Somboon Chon dams by a water tunnel, in order to release water from one dam to another in the time of severe drought.

The seven-billion baht project is waiting for the cabinet's approval. The tunnel will be 20 kilometers long and is expected to be completed in seven years' time. After the completion, it is expected help feed water for farmer's off-season crops.


-- NNT 2014-12-05

[khwaibah]

That tunnel has been a pipe dream for at least 15 years.

[oldsailor35]

And still the building roofs do not have "water saving" gutters. When it rains no water is saved, it all goes into the ground. Crazy !!!

[elgordo38]

Our condo has its own well but I often wonder where all these new buildings springing up will get water from. I can scan the horizon towards the mountains and see about 7 cranes and there are also about 4 complete buildings that have sprung up in the last year and a half in line of sight. I wonder if cloud seeding really works or do the planes just fly around in circles. They also say that the drought will be a multi year one.

[DGS1244]

Our Moo Baan had its own well until recently when we switch to the local authority. Apparently the water table is dropping and insufficient for all the wells, even with no gutters the water entering the ground is still too low.

[doublephil]

I went to the dam mentioned a few days ago with my wife. I was shocked at how low the water level has dropped. Normally there are restaurants built out over the water where you sit on mats on the floor and eat in Lanna style - it's a very popular place to eat for local Thais. The eating areas are now high and dry about 30 feet (10 metres) above the water level - can't be good for business.

The drought is quite serious and lots of local farmers are very concerned. Our local river - which supplies a lot of irrigation water - just about manages to run throughout the dry season - though barely a trickle by March/April. At this time of year it should still be flowing well with run-off from the mountains - but it is already down to a trickle and local people predict it will dry up soon - for the first time in living memory - and local agriculture will grind to a halt for lack of water - which will be very serious indeed for a lot of people

[connda]

I went to the dam mentioned a few days ago with my wife. I was shocked at how low the water level has dropped. Normally there are restaurants built out over the water where you sit on mats on the floor and eat in Lanna style - it's a very popular place to eat for local Thais. The eating areas are now high and dry about 30 feet (10 metres) above the water level - can't be good for business.

The drought is quite serious and lots of local farmers are very concerned. Our local river - which supplies a lot of irrigation water - just about manages to run throughout the dry season - though barely a trickle by March/April. At this time of year it should still be flowing well with run-off from the mountains - but it is already down to a trickle and local people predict it will dry up soon - for the first time in living memory - and local agriculture will grind to a halt for lack of water - which will be very serious indeed for a lot of people

Our village is SE of Chiang Mai in Lamphun Province. The lakes in the area are normal level, and the water level in our well is normal as well. Don't see a real problem in this area.

[masuk]

And still the building roofs do not have "water saving" gutters. When it rains no water is saved, it all goes into the ground. Crazy !!!

Well, I almost agree with you. Apart from the damage done to gardens and house footings, with no roof guttering, it seemed crazy to me to not collect rain water.

However, having seen the atmospheric pollution in Chiang Mai and what blows into my room, I'm not so sure I'd like to drink it. For other uses, yes. I've never had to vacuum clean insect screens on a regular basis before.

Our family lived for years with no town water in Australia, but there was not a pollution problem, apart from the occasional possum.

There are handy devices for catching the first dirty rain water and dumping it, but that's where the dust is seasonal, not year-round as it seems to be in Chiang Mai.

Certainly, a 4000litre tank of water could be used for many things, especially in the bathroom area.

[masuk]

I went to the dam mentioned a few days ago with my wife. I was shocked at how low the water level has dropped. Normally there are restaurants built out over the water where you sit on mats on the floor and eat in Lanna style - it's a very popular place to eat for local Thais. The eating areas are now high and dry about 30 feet (10 metres) above the water level - can't be good for business.

The drought is quite serious and lots of local farmers are very concerned. Our local river - which supplies a lot of irrigation water - just about manages to run throughout the dry season - though barely a trickle by March/April. At this time of year it should still be flowing well with run-off from the mountains - but it is already down to a trickle and local people predict it will dry up soon - for the first time in living memory - and local agriculture will grind to a halt for lack of water - which will be very serious indeed for a lot of people

Hose bans are usual in the UK and in Australia, when water levels are too low.

Here they keep watering footpaths without a care in the world. I suppose when it gets to crisis levels, someone might stir in their seat.

[Beetlejuice]

I went to the dam mentioned a few days ago with my wife. I was shocked at how low the water level has dropped. Normally there are restaurants built out over the water where you sit on mats on the floor and eat in Lanna style - it's a very popular place to eat for local Thais. The eating areas are now high and dry about 30 feet (10 metres) above the water level - can't be good for business.

The drought is quite serious and lots of local farmers are very concerned. Our local river - which supplies a lot of irrigation water - just about manages to run throughout the dry season - though barely a trickle by March/April. At this time of year it should still be flowing well with run-off from the mountains - but it is already down to a trickle and local people predict it will dry up soon - for the first time in living memory - and local agriculture will grind to a halt for lack of water - which will be very serious indeed for a lot of people

Hose bans are usual in the UK and in Australia, when water levels are too low.

Here they keep watering footpaths without a care in the world. I suppose when it gets to crisis levels, someone might stir in their seat.

Similar situation down my way, everything continues on as normal using water with impunity, no one gives a rat` behind, then without any notification or warning someone puts the plug in and the water supply is cut off. After that the water could be off for hours, days, a week or not returned until those that control the water supply feel fit to turn it on again.

My guess is even if there were water usage restrictions implemented, no one would take notice anyway as these laws are never enforced. The attitude being, live for today and we`ll see what happens tomorrow.

[masuk]

I went to the dam mentioned a few days ago with my wife. I was shocked at how low the water level has dropped. Normally there are restaurants built out over the water where you sit on mats on the floor and eat in Lanna style - it's a very popular place to eat for local Thais. The eating areas are now high and dry about 30 feet (10 metres) above the water level - can't be good for business.

The drought is quite serious and lots of local farmers are very concerned. Our local river - which supplies a lot of irrigation water - just about manages to run throughout the dry season - though barely a trickle by March/April. At this time of year it should still be flowing well with run-off from the mountains - but it is already down to a trickle and local people predict it will dry up soon - for the first time in living memory - and local agriculture will grind to a halt for lack of water - which will be very serious indeed for a lot of people

Hose bans are usual in the UK and in Australia, when water levels are too low.

Here they keep watering footpaths without a care in the world. I suppose when it gets to crisis levels, someone might stir in their seat.

Similar situation down my way, everything continues on as normal using water with impunity, no one gives a rat` behind, then without any notification or warning someone puts the plug in and the water supply is cut off. After that the water could be off for hours, days, a week or not returned until those that control the water supply feel fit to turn it on again.

My guess is even if there were water usage restrictions implemented, no one would take notice anyway as these laws are never enforced. The attitude being, live for today and we`ll see what happens tomorrow.

It's good that some places have a few day's supply in the small tanks holding town water. My landlady put in a 600litre tank and pump, and gave a bit of a buffer.

[jobin]

Ban the bum guns. That will save water. Be then must offer nose clips.

[khwaibah]

"Mae Kuang Udom Thara Dam, one of the two major dams that provide water for arable land inthe Chiang Mai basin, has the lowest water level in 16 years. Chiang Mai's 1st irrigation Office announced that it would not release any water for rice fields in the coming dry season."

​I don't think the farmers will give a rats arse as in most of the outlying areas aka Doi Saket the farmers have had local wells in the ground for the past 15 years and probably longer.These wells are uncapped and used for these condition.

Edited December 7, 2014 by khwaibah

[billd766]

I live about half way between CM and BKK on the edge of the Mae Wong national park in Khampaeng Phet province. My pond which holds about 500,000 litres when it is full never got past 3/4 full this year and is now almost empty. It gets it supply from the runoff from the hills behind us. The klong across the road will probably dry out next month or early in February and so will the government water supply. Hopefully it will be back by Songkran.

I suspect that the golf courses of Thailand (far more important than farmers or people) will never runout.

[Asiantravel]

Ban the bum guns. That will save water. Be then must offer nose clips.

But that will lead to more drains being clogged up with toilet paper