Bt2.2 tn water diversion project to be proposed

[webfact]

Bt2.2 tn water diversion project to be proposed
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- AGRICULTURE Minister Chatchai Sarikalya will seek the National Water Board approval for two projects that would divert water from the Mae Yuam and Mekong rivers and require a total budget of Bt2.2 trillion.

If approved by the board's chair, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Chatchai said the projects' first phrase could commence early next year - just in time to boost water capital in the face of a 2016-17 drought season predicted to be worse than the latest drought season due to the El Nino phenomenon.

The country's water capital for the 2016-17 drought season was earlier predicted to be 2 billion cubic metres less than the current amount, he said, but the government's water retention construction projects should result in the water reserve rising.

The two projects - to be proposed as part of the water resource management strategy 2016 - are being studied by the Royal Irrigation Department and that process should be completed by year's end, Chatchai said.

The Mae Yuam project is expected to add 2 billion cubic metres of water to Bhumibol Dam in its first phase. The Mekong River project is expected to add about 40 billion cubic metres in total, starting off with the Lampao Dam in its first phase, he added.

Chatchai said the projects' first-phrase construction would cost more than the Bt100 billion earmarked in a previous study.

He said the 2015-16 drought had resulted in the country's four major dams - Bhumibol, Sirikit, Pasak Jolasid and Kwai Noi Bamrungdaen - yielding only 3,700 milion cubic metres for use.

He said if the El Nino effect got worse as predicted there would be little rainfall and the water capital would shrink, posing water management difficulties.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Bt2-2-tn-water-diversion-project-to-be-proposed-30270997.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-16

[Thian]

Blah blah blah, so are they going to dig canals from other rivers to the big dams?

[AGareth2]

what about downstream?

[Thian]

what about downstream?

Downstream will get less water, simple.

But what if the other rivers also get less rain to feed them next year?

Thailand needs more lakes where water can seep into the deep soil. Then farmers can have wells on solarpower on their land.

[phoenixdoglover]

I would guess other countries will have a lot to say about any plans to further divert water from the Mekong River. Unfortunately, the Mekong River Commission is in some disarray, and countries are now acting unilaterally. The Mekong is a great river in decline.

[cloudhopper]

Sounds like another baht diversion project.

[Thian]

I would guess other countries will have a lot to say about any plans to further divert water from the Mekong River. Unfortunately, the Mekong River Commission is in some disarray, and countries are now acting unilaterally. The Mekong is a great river in decline.

China also had plans to build a huge dam in the Mekong, i didn't hear from that for a while.

[jgriff]

I agree with Thain. Every year at least 3 projects are announced and nothing ever gets done. The people don't try to save water. It's everybody for themselves.

You have had YEARS to solve this problem but greed comes first I guess.

[smutcakes]

I agree with Thain. Every year at least 3 projects are announced and nothing ever gets done. The people don't try to save water. It's everybody for themselves.

You have had YEARS to solve this problem but greed comes first I guess.

Nothing happens but they get hundreds of millions to 'study' the feasibilty before nothing happens.....

[tuanku]

40 billion cu m from the Mekong to Thailand is 40 billion cu m less for Cambodia and Vietnam, just as upstream projects decrease the water available for Thailand. I hope they will seek an agreement with the countries affected before moving ahead with this.

[Thian]

I agree with Thain. Every year at least 3 projects are announced and nothing ever gets done. The people don't try to save water. It's everybody for themselves.

You have had YEARS to solve this problem but greed comes first I guess.

Nothing happens but they get hundreds of millions to 'study' the feasibilty before nothing happens.....

The Thai authority's have made many trips abroad to "study" how they deal with waterproblems there. Many foreign experts have been approached as well, they also have been in Thailand to advice them.

Since then the only thing they did was make extra pumps downtown Bangkok, which even don't help because last week they had to rush with installing temporary pumpsystems and still the roads flooded.

The only way to solve the problem for the long term is to let the foreign experts develop a plan and stick with it. Better give them all the money needed now in cash and trust them to fix it. If the money stays in Thailand it will decrease every week and nothing will get done properly or at all.

But it seems the Mekong is doomed from now on, no more giant catfish there soon.

What's the new plan for Bt2.2 tn?? Why do they hide it in loads of words? Are they going to dig huge canals ASAP?

Edited October 16, 2015 by Thian

[halloween]

If the Mekong diversion is taken during the spate months July -Oct inclusive when the flow at Luang Prabang always exceeds 4000cm/s, the diversion would be less than 3 minutes worth of the minimum flow for 4 months. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/report-management-develop/MRC-IM-No2-the-flow-of-the-mekong.pdf

That is from a 1988 table, so there may be some variation now.

Edited October 16, 2015 by halloween

[halloween]

If the Mekong diversion is taken during the spate months July -Oct inclusive when the flow at Luang Prabang always exceeds 4000cm/s, the diversion would be less than 3 minutes worth of the minimum flow for 4 months. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/report-management-develop/MRC-IM-No2-the-flow-of-the-mekong.pdf

That is from a 1988 table, so there may be some variation now.

Correction, that was 3 HOURS of the minimum flow.

[elgordo38]

40 billion cu m from the Mekong to Thailand is 40 billion cu m less for Cambodia and Vietnam, just as upstream projects decrease the water available for Thailand. I hope they will seek an agreement with the countries affected before moving ahead with this.

As an earlier poster stated we are living in an "Its every man for himself" society. Why seek an agreement with other countries you and I know already what their answer will be.

[Jeremy50]

The Mekong is dammed, over fished, and Thailand and Laos won't be happy until all it's banks are turned into barren concrete walkways. Taking it's waters to give to farmers hundreds of miles away, so that they can grow water-thirsty crops during the naturally occurring dry season is just one more stepping stone towards it's eventual and inevitable death.

[Jeremy50]

The Mekong is dammed, over fished, and Thailand and Laos won't be happy until all it's banks are turned into barren concrete walkways. Taking it's waters to give to farmers hundreds of miles away, so that they can grow water-thirsty crops during the naturally occurring dry season is just one more stepping stone towards it's eventual and inevitable death.

[Jeremy50]

The Mekong is dammed, over fished, and Thailand and Laos won't be happy until all it's banks are turned into barren concrete walkways. Taking it's waters to give to farmers hundreds of miles away, so that they can grow water-thirsty crops during the naturally occurring dry season is just one more stepping stone towards it's eventual and inevitable death.

[Srikcir]

So much for the ASEAN Economic Community.

It's every country for themselves!

[connda]

The LOS has a lot of coast. How about desalination plants and pump water to up country reservoirs. At the rate it's going, the Mekong will be a small stream by the time it gets to the ocean.

[MESmith]

I would guess other countries will have a lot to say about any plans to further divert water from the Mekong River. Unfortunately, the Mekong River Commission is in some disarray, and countries are now acting unilaterally. The Mekong is a great river in decline.

The Mekong is definitely going downhill

[halloween]

The LOS has a lot of coast. How about desalination plants and pump water to up country reservoirs. At the rate it's going, the Mekong will be a small stream by the time it gets to the ocean.

If you are trying for the most ridiculous post of the day, you should have added "solar cells and batteries".

[DeepInTheForest]

There are immense profits to be taken in these large infrastructure projects. Which is why, no matter how awful an idea they are, they keep being proposed. Large capital feels that eventually they will push something through, by hook or deception. The price of a sustainable healthy society is continuous civic vigilance.

[coulson]

The El Niño phenomenon is a cycle......this year was part of its cycle. Looks like the agriculture minister team got their degrees on khan Sarn, or else trying to pinch some sponsorship off the back of the current state of affairs, or possibly both.