Water level Huay Tung Tao

[PETDCAT]

It's the lowest I've seen it in 8 years.

[MESmith]

That looks nearly full compared to some of the San Kamphaeng area reservoirs

[junglechef]

The levels are supposably quite low at Mae Kuang Dam which supplies the Chiang Mai city.

The klongs below it on the East side of San Sai are low while those on the West side that are supplied by Mae Gnat Dam are full. I was at farms yesterday on both sides of this city and there's a huge difference.

[chingmai331]

Perfectly normal for regions without rainfall. An aside: which world metropolis of 20 million persons receives less than 1 inch of rain per year?

[kaptainrob]

The levels are supposably quite low at Mae Kuang Dam which supplies the Chiang Mai city.

The klongs below it on the East side of San Sai are low while those on the West side that are supplied by Mae Gnat Dam are full. I was at farms yesterday on both sides of this city and there's a huge difference.

If and when 50m deep bores run dry we'll be in real trouble. Aquifer levels require rainfall too.

[sappersrest]

The levels are supposably quite low at Mae Kuang Dam which supplies the Chiang Mai city.

The klongs below it on the East side of San Sai are low while those on the West side that are supplied by Mae Gnat Dam are full. I was at farms yesterday on both sides of this city and there's a huge difference.

If and when 50m deep bores run dry we'll be in real trouble. Aquifer levels require rainfall too.

A lot of aquifers were laid down over ten thousand years or more and some as recent as a 1000 years ago, the problem is we are mining water with no chance of replenishing it for future generations!!!

Underground water is not a finite commodity as some may think.

[MESmith]

Rice farmers where I live, San Kamphaeng, are flooding their rice fields from boreholes. Every year more boreholes as more & more farmers copy their neighbours.

[junglechef]

Another issue for the small local organic farmers (those are one's whom I personally familiar with) is if there's not enough water in the klongs the cost of running pumps isn't cost effective. Even people who are growing veg just for their own family's consumption find it cheaper to buy them at the local market then pay for the additional electricity necessary to pump the water out of their existing wells.

[chiang mai]

There is a klong that runs through our garden in Mae Rim, it sees a flood of water about every ten days, sometimes longer and this is right in the heart of rice fields. I can still get water for the garden from a four metre well and our deeper well, fifteen metres, is still sound, fingers crossed.

Have to disagree about the cost of running a pump. a one HP pump uses about 0.75 kwh so the cost to run the pump for one hour is less than 5 baht.

[junglechef]

I'm just repeating what they tell me ("they find it cheaper") as haven't seen a financial breakdown. But for 40 bth (8 hrs x 5 baht) one can buy a lot of veg. Of course there's what season it is and other factor to consider.

They do release water from Mae Gnat for the needs of the rice farmers and other factors which I can't exactly figure out.

Luckily you, as well as I, get our water from the bigger reservoir.

As well as a few klongs that run through my property I have a pond which is fed by one of them as a reserve, a well and of course city water which I combine all for my watering needs.

All one has to do is look around to see how much more greener it is over here.

[chiang mai]

I was planning to drive up to Mae Ngat to check out water levels, if anyone has any recent pictures they could post you'll save me a trip.

[kaptainrob]

I recently came across an old report done on the CM - Lamphun aquifer by German(?) engineers. IIRC, the summary mentioned the then (15 year ago) use was exceeding re-supply (via rainfall) and bores would have to go deeper and deeper with a bottom of ~200m. Currently, bores are relatively shallow at up to 50m and water quality good albeit high in iron and manganese. Going deeper presents difficulties with expense and higher fluoride content.

[MaeJoMTB]

There is a klong that runs through our garden in Mae Rim, it sees a flood of water about every ten days, sometimes longer and this is right in the heart of rice fields. I can still get water for the garden from a four metre well and our deeper well, fifteen metres, is still sound, fingers crossed.

I'm at MaeJo, no shortage in the paddy field behind me this morning.

[chiang mai]

Indeed, I'm surrounded by rice fields and I frequently see the same thing. I was more interested though to see the levels of the reservoir itself, the last time we went up there for lunch was about six months ago and we were shocked by how much the water levels had fallen since our previous visit.

[MaeJoMTB]

Indeed, I'm surrounded by rice fields and I frequently see the same thing. I was more interested though to see the levels of the reservoir itself, the last time we went up there for lunch was about six months ago and we were shocked by how much the water levels had fallen since our previous visit.

HTT is a very small resevoir,

Mae Ngat and Mae Kuang (just behind MaeJo) are the big ones.

Mae Kuang

[Sparkles]

Driving home from the city, alongside the Ping this morning, south of the new mega baht weir it is indeed a dismal sight.There are parts where utilising sand bars you could almost walk across it.

Hopefully Dave will be on duty with some photos.

Which brings me to the fish farms coupl ekm or 2 further south.I guess they are still pulling fish out of them for sale.

Maybe they are sold at local markets or by the side of the road.If so that practice should be terminated until there is an increased flow.

Anyone got access to recent water quality readings in the Ping? I would suggest a distinct health hazard is a possibilty

[kaptainrob]

Driving home from the city, alongside the Ping this morning, south of the new mega baht weir it is indeed a dismal sight.There are parts where utilising sand bars you could almost walk across it.

Hopefully Dave will be on duty with some photos.

Which brings me to the fish farms coupl ekm or 2 further south.I guess they are still pulling fish out of them for sale.

Maybe they are sold at local markets or by the side of the road.If so that practice should be terminated until there is an increased flow.

Anyone got access to recent water quality readings in the Ping? I would suggest a distinct health hazard is a possibilty

Health hazard? What, in Thailand? 55

If you saw what was running down a Pa Daet khlong (and ultimately into the Ping) today you would never ever consume fish farmed downstream. Stinking black gunge with garbage floating on top ... it's a wonder no-one reports this as it must be industrial waste from up near Hangdong road.

[northernjohn]

Driving home from the city, alongside the Ping this morning, south of the new mega baht weir it is indeed a dismal sight.There are parts where utilising sand bars you could almost walk across it.

Hopefully Dave will be on duty with some photos.

Which brings me to the fish farms coupl ekm or 2 further south.I guess they are still pulling fish out of them for sale.

Maybe they are sold at local markets or by the side of the road.If so that practice should be terminated until there is an increased flow.

Anyone got access to recent water quality readings in the Ping? I would suggest a distinct health hazard is a possibility

I walk across the Narrowt bridge at least twice a week. It seems to be about the same level very little noticeable change day to day. I didn't realize how shallow it was until the other day there was a fellow out about 40 to 50 feet wading in it and it was only up to his knees. This was on the West side of the river.

[CNXBKKMAN]

I cycled around the reservoir at the back of the 700 Stadium. Basically because the water level is so low and there is a sandy shore. I passed a couple of days ago and the water is even lower.

[cmsally]

The levels are supposably quite low at Mae Kuang Dam which supplies the Chiang Mai city.

The klongs below it on the East side of San Sai are low while those on the West side that are supplied by Mae Gnat Dam are full. I was at farms yesterday on both sides of this city and there's a huge difference.

If and when 50m deep bores run dry we'll be in real trouble. Aquifer levels require rainfall too.

Presumably the more things get concreted over then less water is going to be soaking into the water table.

The same should apply for areas of less vegetation where water will evaporate more quickly. One wonders when the love affair for concrete might end.

[kaptainrob]

@Sally .... aquifers are mainly fed by underground streams originating in the hills. Rainwater filters down through fissures and porous material and can take many years to find its way into the 'reservoir' below us. Fortunately very little comes from our polluted concrete environment directly above although some shallow bores may have contaminated water from seepage.

[Sparkles]

Driving home from the city, alongside the Ping this morning, south of the new mega baht weir it is indeed a dismal sight.There are parts where utilising sand bars you could almost walk across it.

Hopefully Dave will be on duty with some photos.

Which brings me to the fish farms coupl ekm or 2 further south.I guess they are still pulling fish out of them for sale.

Maybe they are sold at local markets or by the side of the road.If so that practice should be terminated until there is an increased flow.

Anyone got access to recent water quality readings in the Ping? I would suggest a distinct health hazard is a possibilty

Health hazard? What, in Thailand? 55

If you saw what was running down a Pa Daet khlong (and ultimately into the Ping) today you would never ever consume fish farmed downstream. Stinking black gunge with garbage floating on top ... it's a wonder no-one reports this as it must be industrial waste from up near Hangdong road.

Yes I have seen it and there was a discussion on that very area on fb and someone,a Thai, was going to report it and get back to us never heard back.Meanwhile water quality results seem to have eluded us.

[Sparkles]

Driving home from the city, alongside the Ping this morning, south of the new mega baht weir it is indeed a dismal sight.There are parts where utilising sand bars you could almost walk across it.

Hopefully Dave will be on duty with some photos.

Which brings me to the fish farms coupl ekm or 2 further south.I guess they are still pulling fish out of them for sale.

Maybe they are sold at local markets or by the side of the road.If so that practice should be terminated until there is an increased flow.

Anyone got access to recent water quality readings in the Ping? I would suggest a distinct health hazard is a possibility

I walk across the Narrowt bridge at least twice a week. It seems to be about the same level very little noticeable change day to day. I didn't realize how shallow it was until the other day there was a fellow out about 40 to 50 feet wading in it and it was only up to his knees. This was on the West side of the river.

NJ take a trip further south down the river and see the state of the water depth .Its only the multi zillion baht weir they built that is holding the water back around Narrowat and the city area.

Another week without rain and CM will have its own a beach.

[cmsally]

@Sally .... aquifers are mainly fed by underground streams originating in the hills. Rainwater filters down through fissures and porous material and can take many years to find its way into the 'reservoir' below us. Fortunately very little comes from our polluted concrete environment directly above although some shallow bores may have contaminated water from seepage.

Of major consideration would be that the zone between the hill watersheds and the urban areas has seen a decimation in the amount of ground cover. (That doesn't count the concrete "ground cover" !!) More evaporation, less damp areas, faster run off due to harder top soil. All these lead to less seepage into the underground water system.

[hml367]

Driving home from the city, alongside the Ping this morning, south of the new mega baht weir it is indeed a dismal sight.There are parts where utilising sand bars you could almost walk across it.

Hopefully Dave will be on duty with some photos.

Which brings me to the fish farms coupl ekm or 2 further south.I guess they are still pulling fish out of them for sale.

Maybe they are sold at local markets or by the side of the road.If so that practice should be terminated until there is an increased flow.

Anyone got access to recent water quality readings in the Ping? I would suggest a distinct health hazard is a possibility

I walk across the Narrowt bridge at least twice a week. It seems to be about the same level very little noticeable change day to day. I didn't realize how shallow it was until the other day there was a fellow out about 40 to 50 feet wading in it and it was only up to his knees. This was on the West side of the river.

NJ take a trip further south down the river and see the state of the water depth .Its only the multi zillion baht weir they built that is holding the water back around Narrowat and the city area.

Another week without rain and CM will have its own a beach.

A trip north to see where the water comes from in the river may also help.

[chiangmaiexpat]

Yes, the water level at HTT is very low and the levels are also quite low in the other bigger reservoirs around CNX. Since we are experiencing unusually hot and dry climate and had little rain this year, it's no surprise. July is also suspiciously dry, so we could be headed for a drought.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[metisdead]

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[apetley]

Perfectly normal for regions without rainfall. An aside: which world metropolis of 20 million persons receives less than 1 inch of rain per year?

I'd guess Cairo.

[junglechef]

I read this week that the Sirikit Dam, which is only 280 km from CM, is at 6.84% of useable capacity.

[kaptainrob]

I read this week that the Sirikit Dam, which is only 280 km from CM, is at 6.84% of useable capacity.

Online data sheet shows 5% useable as of this date, same as last year.

Bhumibol dam (Ping River/Tak) @ 2%, a tad lower than last year!