Water level at Bhumibol and Sirikit dams most critical in 51 years

[Lite Beer]

Water level at Bhumibol and Sirikit dams most critical in 51 years

BANGKOK: -- Water level at Bhumibol and Sirikit dams most critical in 51 yearsWater level at Bhumibol and Sirikit dams most critical in 51 years

The water level at Bhumibol dam has dropped to the most critical level in 51 years with only 410 million cubic metre of water which can be utilized and just four million cubic metre of water flowing into the dam a day, said Mr Natjapon Phumiwiangsri, assistant governor of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

Because of the critical low level of water in Bhumibol dam, the amount of water released from the dam has been adjusted down from 22 mcm to 10 mcm/day.

Mr Natjapon said that the water level at the Sirikit dam is also equally critical and the amount of water being released from the dam has been adjusted down from 33 mcm/day to 22 mcm/day.

But the water situations at Srinagarind and Vajiralongkorn dams in Kanchanaburi are comparatively better than those at Bhumibol and Sirikit dams with the amount of water at Srinagarind dam at 68 percent of its capacity or 12,113 mcm and 41 percent of its capacity or 3,653 mcm at Vajiralongkorn dam.

Due to water shortages, rice farmers have been asked to postpone rice cultivation until late July when rains are expected and to use water sparingly.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/water-level-at-bhumibol-and-sirikit-dams-most-critical-in-51-years

-- Thai PBS 2015-06-14

[Kerryd]

And 6 weeks from now the news will all be about the massive flooding affecting 98% of the provinces and how the dams have to release excess water to prevent overflowing and damage.

Kind of like seems to happen every - single - year.

(Feast or Famine as they used to say !)

[daoyai]

a 50 year low is not the same as every year,

[otherstuff1957]

This picture was taken from the other side of the dam in October 2011 - at the height of the floods.

[BritTim]

Thailand seems to be completely reliant on the annual monsoon. I dread to think what would happen if one year the monsoon failed. I think it is theoretically possible.

[billd766]

And 6 weeks from now the news will all be about the massive flooding affecting 98% of the provinces and how the dams have to release excess water to prevent overflowing and damage.

Kind of like seems to happen every - single - year.

(Feast or Famine as they used to say !)

Rubbish. Have you any idea how long it will take to fill the Bhumibol dam alone, let alone the Sirikit dam? Most rivers are running at a low level and have been for months.

For water to reach the Ping river for example first the parched land has to be saturated completely and then the runoff will get to the river and then the Bhumibol dam needs to fill right up to the danger level before floodwater is released. It will take heavy rain for 24/7 for a couple of months to be anywhere near to filling the dam.

And no it doesn't happen every year.

The biggest contribution to the floods in Bangkok in 2011 was the Minister of Agriculture overriding the RID and strangely enough he wasn't even from the PTP but Banharn's party. He was also responsible the following year for ordering the dams to dump water early which has indectly contributed to the current situation of too little water in the dams.

This is a problem when politicians have too much power and no idea of the consequences of what they are doing and even less responsibility.

The flood water in BKK over the past few days came directly to BKK and NOT from upcountry.

Edited June 14, 2015 by billd766

[MaxLee]

And 6 weeks from now the news will all be about the massive flooding affecting 98% of the provinces and how the dams have to release excess water to prevent overflowing and damage.

Kind of like seems to happen every - single - year.

(Feast or Famine as they used to say !)

Yep,...Just an attempt to distract the public from the REAL TRUE WET'N WILD DISASTER that is about to come...

Operation cover up story in progress here...

Edited June 14, 2015 by MaxLee

[useronthenet]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

[RustBucket]

Thailand seems to be completely reliant on the annual monsoon. I dread to think what would happen if one year the monsoon failed. I think it is theoretically possible.

It is actually due to be a lot drier across the year due to el nino. So the monsoon season will be short and dry, then they have to get through another dry season with very low water reserves.

The problem is not NOW it is next year that is going to be the REAL problem.

[boomerangutang]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

I don't think so. Here's what I think are more important that building more reservoirs:

>>> conserve water

>>> lessen power use

>>> get some farmers to segue away from rice -

pop quiz: how many types of tree nuts are there in Thailand? As far as I know, coconuts and a smattering of cashews and macadamia. Compare to farang lands, where you'll find those, plus almonds, filberts, walnuts, pecans, abd brazil nuts. I have growing, in northern Thailand, a type of brazil nut. The nuts aren't as big as Brazil nuts, but there are more of them per pod. Everything about the nuts and trees are top quality. Here are some more crops which Thai farmers could grow, but there's no incentive, because they only know about rice and pineapples.

....kiwi, cocao, grapefruit, avocados, guava, figs, hemp, timber trees .....and that's just a partial list of crops which use less water than rice, and yield greater revenue.

[zakk9]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

I don't think so. Here's what I think are more important that building more reservoirs:

>>> conserve water

>>> lessen power use

>>> get some farmers to segue away from rice -

pop quiz: how many types of tree nuts are there in Thailand? As far as I know, coconuts and a smattering of cashews and macadamia. Compare to farang lands, where you'll find those, plus almonds, filberts, walnuts, pecans, abd brazil nuts. I have growing, in northern Thailand, a type of brazil nut. The nuts aren't as big as Brazil nuts, but there are more of them per pod. Everything about the nuts and trees are top quality. Here are some more crops which Thai farmers could grow, but there's no incentive, because they only know about rice and pineapples.

....kiwi, cocao, grapefruit, avocados, guava, figs, hemp, timber trees .....and that's just a partial list of crops which use less water than rice, and yield greater revenue.

Unfortunately, most farmers in Thailand know very little about agriculture.

[NickJ]

Thats a fact...nor do fisherman about fishing.

[Ragzilb]

Thailand seems to be completely reliant on the annual monsoon. I dread to think what would happen if one year the monsoon failed. I think it is theoretically possible.

For the moonshoon to fail would mean the Great moderater of earth the Hadley Cell would stop and the Hadley cell is created from the suns heat. Also the Jetsstream and then the Golf stream would stop working.. And that would mean a total restart of mother earth and the end of all life on planet earth. .

Now what would be more possible is that the moonshoon rain would go up or down a few altittude or lattitude which could happend and is showing signs of it.

[BSJ]

Thailand seems to be completely reliant on the annual monsoon. I dread to think what would happen if one year the monsoon failed. I think it is theoretically possible.

For the moonshoon to fail would mean the Great moderater of earth the Hadley Cell would stop and the Hadley cell is created from the suns heat. Also the Jetsstream and then the Golf stream would stop working.. And that would mean a total restart of mother earth and the end of all life on planet earth. .

Now what would be more possible is that the moonshoon rain would go up or down a few altittude or lattitude which could happend and is showing signs of it.

A little more information about this 'moonshoon rain' please. Is it dangerous? How can I tell if it's 'moonshoon rain' and not regular rain?

[jerojero]

Thailand seems to be completely reliant on the annual monsoon. I dread to think what would happen if one year the monsoon failed. I think it is theoretically possible.

Theoretical possible? As likely as sun rising in the West. Both factually nonsense.

[Thian]

This is very bad news for the ricefarmers.

Think it's time to switch to another crop.

[Guest]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

I don't think so. Here's what I think are more important that building more reservoirs:

>>> conserve water

>>> lessen power use

>>> get some farmers to segue away from rice -

pop quiz: how many types of tree nuts are there in Thailand? As far as I know, coconuts and a smattering of cashews and macadamia. Compare to farang lands, where you'll find those, plus almonds, filberts, walnuts, pecans, abd brazil nuts. I have growing, in northern Thailand, a type of brazil nut. The nuts aren't as big as Brazil nuts, but there are more of them per pod. Everything about the nuts and trees are top quality. Here are some more crops which Thai farmers could grow, but there's no incentive, because they only know about rice and pineapples.

....kiwi, cocao, grapefruit, avocados, guava, figs, hemp, timber trees .....and that's just a partial list of crops which use less water than rice, and yield greater revenue.

That is interesting.

Please tel me:

What type of tree is this?

How long does it take to grow to maturity? (A point where it has meaningful commercial yield)

What is the rate of yield? (Pollination to Harvest?) ... is it 14 months?

How tall is this tree?

Is it deep or shallow rooted?

Can it withstand a full on monsoon year after year?

What are the natural pests / predators of this tree and fruit?

So lets say a farmer has "X" amount of land, and the pollination - Yield cycle is a year.

Which is more profitable, two rice harvests per year ... or one nut harvest per year.

For the sake of keeping this all about return per rai, lets not even consider that rice is the staple base food on the Thai food chain and that farmers can look out onto their fields and at least know they can feed thier families.

I like your idea .. but is it actually viable on a national scale? ( This is to keep it macro, and not recieve a lecture from a Foreigner with the time, money and rersouces to have some trees and open a small cottage industry. Your is a suggestion that rice farmers switch to nuts...

"Nuts" ... possibly an interesting word in this context, but I could be wrong.

Your kind reply and answers will go far to determine if it is a viable idea.

(PS: I love Brazil nuts and want to buy some fresh ones ... will look you up when I go upcountry for sure !)

[fred Kubasa]

You can't get a copy of last month's electric bill & they have been keeping

water level records for 51 years ?

[zakk9]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

I don't think so. Here's what I think are more important that building more reservoirs:

>>> conserve water

>>> lessen power use

>>> get some farmers to segue away from rice -

pop quiz: how many types of tree nuts are there in Thailand? As far as I know, coconuts and a smattering of cashews and macadamia. Compare to farang lands, where you'll find those, plus almonds, filberts, walnuts, pecans, abd brazil nuts. I have growing, in northern Thailand, a type of brazil nut. The nuts aren't as big as Brazil nuts, but there are more of them per pod. Everything about the nuts and trees are top quality. Here are some more crops which Thai farmers could grow, but there's no incentive, because they only know about rice and pineapples.

....kiwi, cocao, grapefruit, avocados, guava, figs, hemp, timber trees .....and that's just a partial list of crops which use less water than rice, and yield greater revenue.

That is interesting.

Please tel me:

What type of tree is this?

How long does it take to grow to maturity? (A point where it has meaningful commercial yield)

What is the rate of yield? (Pollination to Harvest?) ... is it 14 months?

How tall is this tree?

Is it deep or shallow rooted?

Can it withstand a full on monsoon year after year?

What are the natural pests / predators of this tree and fruit?

So lets say a farmer has "X" amount of land, and the pollination - Yield cycle is a year.

Which is more profitable, two rice harvests per year ... or one nut harvest per year.

For the sake of keeping this all about return per rai, lets not even consider that rice is the staple base food on the Thai food chain and that farmers can look out onto their fields and at least know they can feed thier families.

I like your idea .. but is it actually viable on a national scale? ( This is to keep it macro, and not recieve a lecture from a Foreigner with the time, money and rersouces to have some trees and open a small cottage industry. Your is a suggestion that rice farmers switch to nuts...

"Nuts" ... possibly an interesting word in this context, but I could be wrong.

Your kind reply and answers will go far to determine if it is a viable idea.

(PS: I love Brazil nuts and want to buy some fresh ones ... will look you up when I go upcountry for sure !)

I don't know the answers to your questions about that tree, but there are clearly large areas in Thailand where rice production isn't sustainable. Rice is only profitable if there's access to lots of water, preferably all year, and if it's possible to harvest 2-3 times per year. The areas in Thailand that can do that can easily supply the nation with more rice than people can eat and then millions of tons for export.

The main challenge is that farmers in Thailand have little or no knowledge about other than the standard Thai crops, and even then, it's often rather limited. They grow whatever their father grew. I looked into avocado a few years ago, and found that although the market in Thailand is still very limited, the high prices would make it very profitable, and it can be harvested all year. I never went ahead with the project though, and don't even know if it would have been successful, since my rural stint came to an end.

[otherstuff1957]

The Thai Meteorological Dept. recently changed their website so that it is more difficult to navigate and offers less information , but according to the older data that used to be accessible, Thailand has had lower than average annual rainfall every year since the big floods.

Unless we have higher than average rainfall this year (and we haven't so far) the country will find itself in the middle of a serious drought.

Of course, having a drought doesn't rule out localized flooding!

[anon467367354]

what could possibly go wrong?

[webfact]

Water levels in 4 major dams remain critical

BANGKOK, 15 June 2015 (NNT)-The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has disclosed that the water levels in 4 major dams remain critical. The amount of water released will be lowered by half to assure sufficient supply of water for domestic consumption.

RID Deputy Director General Suthep Noipiroj said the water levels in Bhumipol, Sirikit, Kwae Noi, Bamrungdan and Pasakcholasit dams are critically low, declining by 30 million cubic meters altogether since yesterday.

The rapid decline has prompted the RID to decide to cut the amount of water released into the rivers from 60 million cubic meters daily to 30 million cubic meters today. According to Mr. Suthep, there would be enough water for consumption for 40 more days following the move.

However, more rain is expected at the end of July, said Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chawait Chukhajorn. He also urged farmers in Chaitnat and Ayutthaya to put off their crop growing until there is enough rain to sustain farming activities.


-- NNT 2015-06-15

[ratcatcher]

"However, more rain is expected at the end of July, said Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chawait Chukhajorn."

And, upon what is this statement based? Lottery numbers?

[Remi080]

A message to Zakk9.

I do agree that a lot of thai farmers stick to the crop witch is as good as an family tradition.

And a lot of farmers dont have the knowledge of growing something else, and yes i know that they would like to try something else to grow, but they just can not take the risk becouse they need the money to feed there family's.

My idea to solve some of these problems, witch i did try with help of my family, is growing a lot of diffrent kinds of vegetables on small scale, and this in cooperation with 2 other nearby family's. we all grow diffrent kinds of vegitation to suply our own needs, proximate 3x 17 people. Now this is getting intresting. 3 family's for 1 year strait did not had to buy vegetables on the market, yeah garlic and curry and some other spices. But we all have to invest 4 hours per week in work in the gardens. 4 hours per week is peanuts and we all do this with pleasure, we trade with eachother in a fair way without money. And now we started to do so with chickens, eggs, duck, and fish. After the results that the idea works very well, we try to go on, and try to grow all our own needs and even 2 more family's join the club. This proces is now going on for 3 years, saved everyone a lot of money !! Really a lot. But the clue is, becouse we work together as farmers, and have acces to the www. We lern how to use and to grow veggs. The amount of knowlegde we they all got in such short time of try to grow new things made 2 family's change there traditional rice farming because of shortage in water. Now they divided the land in half lemon farming, and the other in beans. Now using spinkler water systems, and the use of own made free trade liquid fertilizor this is getting a true succes story. No we all not hunting for attention in the media, but we all prove together that its posseble to grow other things, make money, save money, get educated. Thais do have all ingredients around them to make money, they just dont know how to use it, because the traditional " stick to the plan thing".

But hey ... This had nothing to do with the critical water level.

[billd766]

You can't get a copy of last month's electric bill & they have been keeping

water level records for 51 years ?

Could it be that they are two completely different Ministries with two totally different functions and whilst the RID has a lot to do with this topic, EGAT though they may use hydro electric power and produce electricity and therefore bills, have nothing to do with this topic?

[The Deerhunter]

a 50 year low is not the same as every year,

Some times it is, in some countries. In my home country, news reports are very common that "once in 50 year" or "once in 100 year" weather events occur sometimes several times in one year. And the journos find nothing ironic in reporting it so. (I know it is off topic but you hit a nerve.) Sure hope they get some good rain up their soon. They need those rain dance people on boats right out in the middle of those lakes so the rain gods know exactly where it is needed. I haven't figured out yet what the el Nino weather pattern now confirmed as occurring, will do for or to Thailand re rainfall, during this monsoon.

[Guest]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

I don't think so. Here's what I think are more important that building more reservoirs:

>>> conserve water

>>> lessen power use

>>> get some farmers to segue away from rice -

pop quiz: how many types of tree nuts are there in Thailand? As far as I know, coconuts and a smattering of cashews and macadamia. Compare to farang lands, where you'll find those, plus almonds, filberts, walnuts, pecans, abd brazil nuts. I have growing, in northern Thailand, a type of brazil nut. The nuts aren't as big as Brazil nuts, but there are more of them per pod. Everything about the nuts and trees are top quality. Here are some more crops which Thai farmers could grow, but there's no incentive, because they only know about rice and pineapples.

....kiwi, cocao, grapefruit, avocados, guava, figs, hemp, timber trees .....and that's just a partial list of crops which use less water than rice, and yield greater revenue.

That is interesting.

Please tel me:

What type of tree is this?

How long does it take to grow to maturity? (A point where it has meaningful commercial yield)

What is the rate of yield? (Pollination to Harvest?) ... is it 14 months?

How tall is this tree?

Is it deep or shallow rooted?

Can it withstand a full on monsoon year after year?

What are the natural pests / predators of this tree and fruit?

So lets say a farmer has "X" amount of land, and the pollination - Yield cycle is a year.

Which is more profitable, two rice harvests per year ... or one nut harvest per year.

For the sake of keeping this all about return per rai, lets not even consider that rice is the staple base food on the Thai food chain and that farmers can look out onto their fields and at least know they can feed thier families.

I like your idea .. but is it actually viable on a national scale? ( This is to keep it macro, and not recieve a lecture from a Foreigner with the time, money and rersouces to have some trees and open a small cottage industry. Your is a suggestion that rice farmers switch to nuts...

"Nuts" ... possibly an interesting word in this context, but I could be wrong.

Your kind reply and answers will go far to determine if it is a viable idea.

(PS: I love Brazil nuts and want to buy some fresh ones ... will look you up when I go upcountry for sure !)

I don't know the answers to your questions about that tree, but there are clearly large areas in Thailand where rice production isn't sustainable. Rice is only profitable if there's access to lots of water, preferably all year, and if it's possible to harvest 2-3 times per year. The areas in Thailand that can do that can easily supply the nation with more rice than people can eat and then millions of tons for export.

The main challenge is that farmers in Thailand have little or no knowledge about other than the standard Thai crops, and even then, it's often rather limited. They grow whatever their father grew. I looked into avocado a few years ago, and found that although the market in Thailand is still very limited, the high prices would make it very profitable, and it can be harvested all year. I never went ahead with the project though, and don't even know if it would have been successful, since my rural stint came to an end.

Thanks for your reply.

I like your romantic view, but see rice production as a function of the incredibly heavy rains and soil conditions ..

Few farmers .. if any on the small scale, have the ways and means to "experiment" with alternative crops.

They would have lost it all by the time the "new trees" were much more than saplings.

Thailand was, and may again be, the worlds largerst exporter of rice.

I think thay have a pretty firm handle on how to grow it and ship it.

It is "what they do" ... and frankly .. they do it better than most.

Once the overloaded warehouses return to "market economy" conditions and not a fool's errand to create a price floor ABOVE world prices, life will be better for the farmers.

I liked your posting very much, and appreciate your reply.

[zakk9]

Thanks for your reply.

I like your romantic view, but see rice production as a function of the incredibly heavy rains and soil conditions ..

Few farmers .. if any on the small scale, have the ways and means to "experiment" with alternative crops.

They would have lost it all by the time the "new trees" were much more than saplings.

Thailand was, and may again be, the worlds largerst exporter of rice.

I think thay have a pretty firm handle on how to grow it and ship it.

It is "what they do" ... and frankly .. they do it better than most.

Once the overloaded warehouses return to "market economy" conditions and not a fool's errand to create a price floor ABOVE world prices, life will be better for the farmers.

I liked your posting very much, and appreciate your reply.

Thailand can only compete in the rice market if their quality is the best and/or their prices the lowest. Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam have all been increasing their production lately, and they are undercutting the prices from Thailand. I saw an overview a few months ago that showed that only areas in Thailand that offer three harvests per year can compete with the prices from those countries. In large parts of Isan, there isn't water for more than one harvest, and most rice farmers will never be able to make a living without subsidies. Maybe in the past, but not in the future. There are reasons why their daughters work at go go bars in Pattaya.

Most Thai farmers obviously cannot afford to experiment. The government should do that. It is done to some extend, as far as I know, but I doubt that the knowledge reaches the smaller farmers, and even if the methods are proven, I'm sure it feels safer to do what they've always done, hoping for a better harvest next year.

[laocowboy2]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

Was thinking exactly the same. Thailand (like other places) is seeing more variability in its weather than was perhaps the norm in the past. So more need to store water for the more frequent/more extreme dry periods - and more need to be able to handle (and perhaps store more of) the increased rainfall in wet periods.

Given an economy that needs the government to spend to get the GDP growing again (and one where the agricultural sector is so important), more dams would seem to come ahead of shiny new railways on the priority list.

[billd766]

Surely making more reservoirs would be a step in the right direction ?

Was thinking exactly the same. Thailand (like other places) is seeing more variability in its weather than was perhaps the norm in the past. So more need to store water for the more frequent/more extreme dry periods - and more need to be able to handle (and perhaps store more of) the increased rainfall in wet periods.

Given an economy that needs the government to spend to get the GDP growing again (and one where the agricultural sector is so important), more dams would seem to come ahead of shiny new railways on the priority list.

Part of the problem is political, part financial and part local.

For example I live at the northern side of the Mae Wong national park. Between our house and the gate there is a plan fo build a small dam that will be filled by the klong coming off the national park. This klong is where we get the normal government water supply from. If they built and completed the dam by the end of this year It would take several years to fill and this is only a little dam.

The EIA has been done, the land actually belongs to the government as the is no real land title though people do own the land. Compensation will be paid for the land and buildings.

It will flood between 1 and 2,000 rai I think but because of the opposition of the Pu Yai Ban and quite a few other villagers the dam is stalled.

So far this year we have had about 5 or 6 days water from the government pipeline since mid January, 5 months now. Water is supplied to all the affected villages free simply by going to the tessaban in Klong Lan BUT the maximum you can get at one time is about 10 cu/m2 and then you have to go back and reapply once again. There is an alternate supplier but he charges 50 baht per cu/m2 where the normal government price is 2 baht per cu/m2.

Perhaps this current water shortage may change peoples minds.

To go back to the main problem, I think that the political will may be there, the financial cost will be enormous but ways can be found to deal with that. All of the infrastructure bids, finance etc MUST be open and transparent (honest and fair would be good too).

Open and transparent EIAs are a MUST.

The biggest problem is that wherever you build a dam you will have to buy the land and move the people elsewhere. I truly think this will be the hardest task as in many cases the land will have been in the family for generations.It will mean the break up of families, houses, temples and whole villages and the people will need new land to move onto which in turn will need roads, electricity water and the rest of the infrastructure. The problem at this point is that there is no more land being created so existing land prices will rise.

There are millions of rai of "unused" farming land but that belongs to rich people, the military and the government and I wouldn't fancy the job of going up to a HiSo mansion and politely informing them that they are having 10,000 rai bought from and the government feels that the fair price is xxx,xxx baht per rai.

Then of course you have to deal with the current local population have to cope with a large number of incomers who may or may not want to farm but have to live somewhere.

It maybe that many farmers especially the older ones may take the opportunity to quit farming, buy a small plot of land and retire in relative comfort, assuming that their families haven't already decided what THEY want to do the their share of Mum and Dads money.

It is a long term plan and would not be completed for at least 10 years and no political party will consider planning that far ahead as they may not be in power to reap the rewards at the end of it.