MOAC Minister: Cultivation water pump halt increases reserve water

PATHUM THANI, 18 July 2015 (NNT) – The suspension of water supply to the 22 Chao Phraya Basin Area Provinces resulted in a 12 centimeter increase of water reserves in the Chao Phraya Dam, while the Rama 9 Reservoir's water supply remains sufficient, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

The Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya and the Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) Lertviroj Kowattana has observed the Chao Phraya Basin's drought relief operations, at the Northern Rangsit Water Supply and Maintenance Plant at the Rama 9 Reservoir in Pathum Thani.

On the occasion, the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives said that farmers' cooperation in halting water for cultivation in 22 provinces during the past 2-3 days resulted in a 12 centimeter increase of water levels in the Chao Phraya Dam. The water level increase will be utilized for the demands of provinces in the lower Chao Phraya River area.

Discussions with local officials will be held tomorrow on severe drought-hit locations, especially farm areas, before more relief operations will be executed in 20 July 2015. The operations will be designated to rice farms where rice are beginning to bear grains, cultivation areas where farmers can help themselves but are in need of water, and the newly cultivated rice farms, that are at risk due to insufficient water supply.

The Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives has also mentioned that the Rama 9 Reservoir contains sufficient water supply for the surrounding areas during the drought.

The Rama 9 Reservoir has a water capacity of up to 33 million cubic meters, while the usable amount of water is currently at 12 million cubic meters. The reservoir has initially supplied water to help more than 700 households in 20,000 rais.

-- NNT 2015-07-18

The Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya and the Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) Lertviroj Kowattana has observed the Chao Phraya Basin's drought relief operations, at the Northern Rangsit Water Supply and Maintenance Plant at the Rama 9 Reservoir in Pathum Thani.

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