Flood, then drought - the NEVER-ENDING CYCLE

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Flood, then drought - the NEVER-ENDING CYCLE

IT IS DISMAYING THAT THAILAND FACES ANOTHER NATURE-INCURRED CRISIS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EASED THROUGH RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

BANGKOK: -- Four years ago this month vast swaths of Thailand began submerging beneath what was soon being called "the flood of the century". Ultimately more than 12 million people in 65 of the 76 provinces were affected and damage was estimated at more than Bt1.4 trillion.

A series of severe storms was to blame, the rainfall quickly swamping major dams upcountry that were already full to capacity. As heavy rain continued in the North and Northeast, authorities were forced to release much of that dam charge, resulting in widespread flooding downstream, including in Bangkok, supposedly safe from such agonies by this point.

Disastrous conditions prevailed for the rest of the year, only abating in January 2012 when the last of the deluge drained into the Gulf.

Now, four years later, we are forced to grapple with the meteorological opposite - severe drought - with large areas of the country receiving no rain at all and major dams drying up as more water is daily released from reserves for domestic and agricultural use. The rainy season, usually well underway by this time, is keeping us waiting, and the consequences could be dire, perhaps even becoming catastrophic if conditions aren't reversed soon. Thailand's two largest dams are currently well under half their capacity. Bhumibol Dam in Tak province is about 70 per cent empty, Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit more than 65 per cent.

Rice farmers have been asked to postpone this season's planting until the rains return, while disputes over irrigation water have begun among those who have already sown their fields. Efforts to offset

the tardiness of the rainy season by using artificial rainmaking techniques have proved insufficient.

In the capital, concern is growing over the continued availability of tap water. The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority has urged residents to conserve in order to prolong the supply until the rains arrive - though that could be as long as two months.

It is astonishing in this day and age that the country's resource management remains at the mercy of nature's whims. Surely we have suffered needlessly through enough crises by now that the authorities in charge are acutely aware of the need for sweeping improvements. The management of our water resources must become more effective and more systematic. If not, Thailand is destined to endure the same alternating problems - drought and flood - endlessly, or at least until the forecast effects of climate change render such seasonal difficulties moot.

It's clear that our state agencies must begin working together more effectively to ensure that measures to prevent drought and flooding are in place and poised to be implemented promptly. They should be looking ahead and preparing in advance so they're ready to head off these problems before they turn into national emergencies.

What the authorities must cease doing is reacting to a problem only when it becomes a crisis that can no longer be ignored. We need wholesale, proactive crisis management, not the cumulative, after-the-fact reactions that only serve to fatigue resources and deflate public confidence. Above all, we need a clear and decisive policy on water-resource management.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Flood-then-drought--the-NEVER-ENDING-CYCLE-30264052.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-09

[Reigntax]

Here is some more news, it is a natural event so get used to it.

Even general thainess's section 44 doesn't have the power over nature no matter how powerful he believes he is.

[BigBadGeordie]

To para-phrase the last paragraph: What the authorities must cease doing is reacting to a problem only when it becomes a crisis that can no longer be ignored.......We need wholesale proactive (crisis) management, not the cumulative after the fact reactions......we need a clear and decisive policy.....

This sentiment could, and should, be applied to all the issues facing Thailand.

But will it be? Nah, not a hope in hell!

[arthurboy]

Simply put: A vast national, poorly supervised water management budget + various incompetent departments and so-called 'experts' + corruption = recipe for ongoing disaster.

TIT.

[NongKhaiKid]

To para-phrase the last paragraph: What the authorities must cease doing is reacting to a problem only when it becomes a crisis that can no longer be ignored.......We need wholesale proactive (crisis) management, not the cumulative after the fact reactions......we need a clear and decisive policy.....

This sentiment could, and should, be applied to all the issues facing Thailand.

But will it be? Nah, not a hope in hell!

This is a never ending cycle, an annual situation yet the authorities can't or won't get to grips with it.

Fire brigade response isn't good enough yet it seems that's all the country can expect.

[selftaopath]

Simply put: A vast national, poorly supervised water management budget + various incompetent departments and so-called 'experts' + corruption = recipe for ongoing disaster.

TIT.

It appears to me that most/if not all govt officials in high status positions are there because of the Thai norm: Not what you know but Who you know/ or paid.

Honestly when I read some of the proposals made by many of these individuals I can only think of one word: IDIOT.

[halloween]

Here is some more news, it is a natural event so get used to it.

Even general thainess's section 44 doesn't have the power over nature no matter how powerful he believes he is.

One way to reduce the effect is to build very large storage dams, and to keep some water in them for sunny days. That last bit is important.

Because after the 2011 floods, a political decision was made to reduce the 2 major storage dam levels by a combined 7.5 billion cubic metres of water, and it was dumped to sea over the next year. Since then, those dam levels have continued to decline never again reaching the new lower operating curve.

You're right though, article 44 can't replace the water that was wasted.

Edited July 9, 2015 by halloween

[oneday]

Abandon the band-aid strategy and start getting real. Yes, it's going to be expensive. Abandon your toy subs and use the money for water management infra-structure.

[geriatrickid]

Here is some more news, it is a natural event so get used to it.

Even general thainess's section 44 doesn't have the power over nature no matter how powerful he believes he is.

One way to reduce the effect is to build very large storage dams, and to keep some water in them for sunny days. That last bit is important.

Because after the 2011 floods, a political decision was made to reduce the 2 major storage dam levels by a combined 7.5 billion cubic metres of water, and it was dumped to sea over the next year. Since then, those dam levels have continued to decline never again reaching the new lower operating curve.

You're right though, article 44 can't replace the water that was wasted.

Thailand already has very "large storage dams" (sic). They are called reservoirs. Reservoirs can not be built anywhere, as they require a water source, topography and soil structure that facilitates retention of the water. You assume that Thailand can plunk down a reservoir wherever it wants and that it will work. Reservoirs have a significant environmental cost. They can destroy arable land, kill important forests, wipe out fish populations and turn a body or water that was once balanced and able to support life into a dead zone of stagnant poisoned water. A large part of Thailand's rural poor depend upon the rivers for food and livelihoods. More reservoirs can and will harm these populations. Successive government have looked at the issue of additional reservoirs and they built what the water system could sustain at the time.

Some of Thailand's reservoirs cannot hold the water that is in them and that is why the water must be released. One of Thailand's largest dams is Bhumibol. It was built in 1964. (So you can't blame Thaksin or Yingluck for the water release.) The state agency keeps posting its capacity 13,462,000,000 m3 but the reality is that its actual working capacity is 9,762,000,000 m3. The water had to be released because the retention structure was never built for the amount of water that was stored. Thailand's reservoirs were built to hold water at their stated capacity for a short period of time, not for an extended period of time. Had that occurred, some of the dams would have failed.

[PepperMe]

The wife regularly comments on this issue as it is heavily featured in the Thai web-boards.

The latest is that farmers are iterally shooting at each other over water and irrigation.

Not sure how true that is, but she says it will not be long before people start getting killed over water.

She is a lot more right than wrong on all things Thai.

[halloween]

One way to reduce the effect is to build very large storage dams, and to keep some water in them for sunny days. That last bit is important.

Because after the 2011 floods, a political decision was made to reduce the 2 major storage dam levels by a combined 7.5 billion cubic metres of water, and it was dumped to sea over the next year. Since then, those dam levels have continued to decline never again reaching the new lower operating curve.

You're right though, article 44 can't replace the water that was wasted.

Thailand already has very "large storage dams" (sic). They are called reservoirs. Reservoirs can not be built anywhere, as they require a water source, topography and soil structure that facilitates retention of the water. You assume that Thailand can plunk down a reservoir wherever it wants and that it will work. Reservoirs have a significant environmental cost. They can destroy arable land, kill important forests, wipe out fish populations and turn a body or water that was once balanced and able to support life into a dead zone of stagnant poisoned water. A large part of Thailand's rural poor depend upon the rivers for food and livelihoods. More reservoirs can and will harm these populations. Successive government have looked at the issue of additional reservoirs and they built what the water system could sustain at the time.

Some of Thailand's reservoirs cannot hold the water that is in them and that is why the water must be released. One of Thailand's largest dams is Bhumibol. It was built in 1964. (So you can't blame Thaksin or Yingluck for the water release.) The state agency keeps posting its capacity 13,462,000,000 m3 but the reality is that its actual working capacity is 9,762,000,000 m3. The water had to be released because the retention structure was never built for the amount of water that was stored. Thailand's reservoirs were built to hold water at their stated capacity for a short period of time, not for an extended period of time. Had that occurred, some of the dams would have failed.

Thank you for stating the rather boring, but bloody obvious. Bhumipol was built in 1964 - what has that to do with blaming Yingluk for the water release in 2012? I supplied you with the level curves, but you refuse to admit what they show, preferring to trot out irrelevancies. Here they are again.

http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/rid_dam_1.php?lang=en

Open the link and click on Bhumipol. Select 2012 and hit show. The red line is 2012 and show the level reduction to the new lower operating curve. At the end of Oct the level drops below the lower operating curve because of the high demand (think rice scam) and low rainfall. Close the window and re-open. You now have 2.5 years, the yellow line representing 2013. The dam has never been able to recover back to the lower curve, dropping to the present disaster.

The black line represents the old higher operating curve. You might note how it runs at just under 13000MCM for NOV and DEC each year, despite your claim that isn't possible. do I believe your word or that of the relevant authority? No contest.

In Oct 2012, at the old curve, Bhumipol could have held over 12,000 MCM, instead it had been dropped to 8600 in fear of a flood that never came. a POLITICAL DECISION.

BTW similar results can be seen by clicking on Sirikit, the next largest storage dam.

[Eric Loh]

We can put the blame squarely on our politics. We have the brains and if not we can source from the best brains in the world. Planning large infrastructure projects like water management requires a long gestation period by the government during the term in office and beyond. In Thailand, governments do not even last 3 years in office except once in our history and most time the projects are slowed-down by oppositions and activists antics. Let's not even include the 18 coups that torn up the constitution and set the clock back. The reality is that we are stuck with knee jerk fire fighting solutions and will never see a concerted comprehensive solution unless the concerned parties sit down and agree on a blue print that will be royally endorsed and decreed.

[rosst]

Here is some more news, it is a natural event so get used to it.

Even general thainess's section 44 doesn't have the power over nature no matter how powerful he believes he is.

One way to reduce the effect is to build very large storage dams, and to keep some water in them for sunny days. That last bit is important.

Because after the 2011 floods, a political decision was made to reduce the 2 major storage dam levels by a combined 7.5 billion cubic metres of water, and it was dumped to sea over the next year. Since then, those dam levels have continued to decline never again reaching the new lower operating curve.

You're right though, article 44 can't replace the water that was wasted.

Thailand already has very "large storage dams" (sic). They are called reservoirs. Reservoirs can not be built anywhere, as they require a water source, topography and soil structure that facilitates retention of the water. You assume that Thailand can plunk down a reservoir wherever it wants and that it will work. Reservoirs have a significant environmental cost. They can destroy arable land, kill important forests, wipe out fish populations and turn a body or water that was once balanced and able to support life into a dead zone of stagnant poisoned water. A large part of Thailand's rural poor depend upon the rivers for food and livelihoods. More reservoirs can and will harm these populations. Successive government have looked at the issue of additional reservoirs and they built what the water system could sustain at the time.

Some of Thailand's reservoirs cannot hold the water that is in them and that is why the water must be released. One of Thailand's largest dams is Bhumibol. It was built in 1964. (So you can't blame Thaksin or Yingluck for the water release.) The state agency keeps posting its capacity 13,462,000,000 m3 but the reality is that its actual working capacity is 9,762,000,000 m3. The water had to be released because the retention structure was never built for the amount of water that was stored. Thailand's reservoirs were built to hold water at their stated capacity for a short period of time, not for an extended period of time. Had that occurred, some of the dams would have failed.

Well, this sounds good, it appears you are very knowledgeable in this area so what can and should they do to minimise these cycles that are going to get even worse?? I freely admit I do not know, the only thing I am acutely aware of is the propensity for encroaching on all waterways and drainage areas and allowing them to silt up and deteriorate.

The village where I live is on the Mekong East of Nong Khai and there is a large floating pump running 24/7 for irrigation. Who owns it and allocates it, I have no idea but the motorbikes are up and down all night with the people changing their irrigation.

One friend of mine gets his water allocation at midnight and apparently 100 baht an hour. At least we had useful rain two nights ago so things are looking up where I am.

[Jimlove]

The wife regularly comments on this issue as it is heavily featured in the Thai web-boards.

The latest is that farmers are iterally shooting at each other over water and irrigation.

Not sure how true that is, but she says it will not be long before people start getting killed over water.

She is a lot more right than wrong on all things Thai.

Your wife is probably right ... I mean they shoot each other over everything else so why not water that is essetial for farmers - meanwhile the fat cats in Gov are buying 3 subs from China ... Amazing Thailand

[billd766]

Simply put: A vast national, poorly supervised water management budget + various incompetent departments and so-called 'experts' + corruption = recipe for ongoing disaster.

TIT.

You forgot to mention the interfering politicians who refuse to plan ahead for more that 2 years (I am trying not to be too sarcastic) in case they are out of power when their plans? come to fruitition.

I like your word incompetent so I Googled it and came up with this descrpition:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?newwindow=1&site=&source=hp&q=incompetent+definition&oq=incompetent&gs_l=hp.1.1.0l10.1737.6859.0.11391.12.10.0.2.2.0.188.1177.2j8.10.0....0...1c.1.64.hp..1.11.1072.0.NDerr9zUZNw

incompetent

ɪnˈkɒmpɪt(ə)nt/

adjective

adjective: incompetent

1.

not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully.

"a forgetful and utterly incompetent assistant"

synonyms: inept, unskilful, unskilled, inexpert, amateurish, unprofessional, lacking ability, bungling, blundering, clumsy, unproficient, inadequate, substandard, inferior, ineffective, deficient, inefficient, ineffectual, no good, not good enough, wanting, lacking, leaving much to be desired;

incapable, unfitted, unfit, unsuitable, unqualified;

informaluseless, pathetic, cack-handed, ham-fisted, not up to it, a dead loss, not up to scratch, not up to snuff;

informalunable to do something for toffee, unable to do something to save one's life, not much cop;

vulgar slanghalf-arsed, not know one's arse from one's elbow, couldn't organize a piss-up in a brewery

"he lost his job due to his incompetent performance"

[Ulic]

Flood then drought in Thailand is like night following day. Of course that is the cycle of nature

here. All that has to happen is proper management of the dams and reservoirs Thailand already

has. Regular maintenance and upgrading, keeping them deep and free of growth and garbage.

(especially now water levels are low.) Keep drainage ditches clear in Bangkok. A proper garbage

plan to stop sewers and ditches from becoming blocked. Tear down buildings that have been

built on drainage klongs illegally. Look at long range weather forecasts. (El Nino, La Nina)

Bring in some outside consultants, (the Dutch) to work with a central Thai water management

agency that can make decisions co-ordinating all the reservoirs.

[oneday]

Here is some more news, it is a natural event so get used to it.

Even general thainess's section 44 doesn't have the power over nature no matter how powerful he believes he is.

One way to reduce the effect is to build very large storage dams, and to keep some water in them for sunny days. That last bit is important.

Because after the 2011 floods, a political decision was made to reduce the 2 major storage dam levels by a combined 7.5 billion cubic metres of water, and it was dumped to sea over the next year. Since then, those dam levels have continued to decline never again reaching the new lower operating curve.

You're right though, article 44 can't replace the water that was wasted.

Thailand already has very "large storage dams" (sic). They are called reservoirs. Reservoirs can not be built anywhere, as they require a water source, topography and soil structure that facilitates retention of the water. You assume that Thailand can plunk down a reservoir wherever it wants and that it will work. Reservoirs have a significant environmental cost. They can destroy arable land, kill important forests, wipe out fish populations and turn a body or water that was once balanced and able to support life into a dead zone of stagnant poisoned water. A large part of Thailand's rural poor depend upon the rivers for food and livelihoods. More reservoirs can and will harm these populations. Successive government have looked at the issue of additional reservoirs and they built what the water system could sustain at the time.

Some of Thailand's reservoirs cannot hold the water that is in them and that is why the water must be released. One of Thailand's largest dams is Bhumibol. It was built in 1964. (So you can't blame Thaksin or Yingluck for the water release.) The state agency keeps posting its capacity 13,462,000,000 m3 but the reality is that its actual working capacity is 9,762,000,000 m3. The water had to be released because the retention structure was never built for the amount of water that was stored. Thailand's reservoirs were built to hold water at their stated capacity for a short period of time, not for an extended period of time. Had that occurred, some of the dams would have failed.

...and your solution would be?