Linked water sources to ensure constant supply proposed ahead of drought crisis

[webfact]

Linked water sources to ensure constant supply proposed ahead of drought crisis
Visarut Sankham
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- OTHER than encouraging farmers to grow crops that consume less water ahead of the upcoming drought crisis, Thai academics have suggested a three-phase measure, which includes linking water sources to ensure a constant supply.

This linked system will also serve as floodwater-retention spots during flooding.

The "Robust Water Infrastruc-ture System", comprising check dams and ponds that will be linked via a canal, should be implemented in all tambons, so each tambon can have its own "large water jar in the backyard", said Asst Prof Sucharit Koontanakulvong.

Sucharit, from Chulalongkorn University's Department of Water Resources Engineering, said this system would help improve water supply and help ease climate change.

"If it were implemented, we could save 30 per cent of water used in agriculture. Also, this constant water supply will lead to farmers no longer having to store extra water in rice fields, a lot of which often goes to waste anyway," he said.

This system is one of the many long-term measures Sucharit proposed at the Monday's public forum on "Drought Crisis: Solutions on Water Management and the Future of Thai Agriculturists", hosted by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF). The brainstorming session was held so policymakers have some solutions to tackle the upcoming drought, which is said to be worse than the one this year, which saw water levels in dams drop to the lowest in 50 years.

The short-term measures proposed at the session included advance water-shortage warning systems, development of water-storage systems and stricter rules to control water usage. Mid-term measures include forest conservation, weir improvement, local water-supply management plan, seeking more water sources and getting the private sector to better manage its water usage. Long-term measures include the said system and improvement of network of reservoir operations(Ang-Poung).

"Last year, we released 4.113 billion cubic metres of water in the Chao Phraya River watershed, when we should have released 2.9 billion cubic metres according to the Chao Phraya River Basin water-management plan. This extra water then affected agriculture, especially small-scale farmers. Damage from the last year's water shortage cost around 0.52 per cent of the gross domestic product," Sucharit added.

Prof Attachai Jintrawet from Chiang Mai University's Faculty of Agriculture, also a speaker at the event, urged farmers to refrain from growing water-dependent crops during this drought, and suggested that they grow plants that consume less water like soybean and mung bean instead.

He also recommended the use of a new agricultural management concept called "Precision agriculture", which is based on observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra-field variability in crops. If farmers follow this new method, they can reduce the risk of losing their crops and even help boost crop production, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Linked-water-sources-to-ensure-constant-supply-pro-30271739.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-28

[Emster23]

Pouring from the empty into the void.

[kannot]

Precision Agriculture.....................tell that to Somchai round here then combine it with the crumbling canals with broken concrete sidewalls as they like to "clean" the sides of weeds with a MAKRO.........<deleted> demolishing even more of them in the process.

Local maintenance is non existent round here, the roads may as well have been sprayed on as the stuff is that thin. If you're lucky it might last 4-5 months before crumbling.

However if they need a new Buddha House or Village Buddha Hut it gets built!!

[godden]

Dams lowest in 50 yrs, not sure they had any dams that long ago.

[ratcatcher]

Dams lowest in 50 yrs, not sure they had any dams that long ago.

It's a dam good thing then that we have Google.

Bhumibol dam finished 51 years ago, Sirikit dam 43 years ago.

But your point is well taken.

[waldroj]

The current El Niño was predicted back at the beginning of the year, yet very few in Thailand were voicing concern then. So, all the “solutions” now being proposed reminds me of a horse galloping down the road, and a barn with its door wide open!

That said, the outlook for the next six months is quite grim, so the junta does need to do far more than simply warn farmers not to plant their off-season rice crop.

The Robust Water Infrastructure System seems to be a great long-term solution, and the junta should consider allocating funding for it, however, their main focus must be on short-term water management for at least the next six months.

To date, the farmers have been the ones in the junta’s sites, while city-dwellers and industry have been seemingly free to continue wasteful water practices. The focus definitely needs to shift to water conservation being the responsibility of everyone in Thailand, and the only way this can be achieved quickly is through the junta introducing an appropriate “user pays” policy aimed at reducing water use.

As I see it, the following key areas could be addressed through policy in reasonably short time:

• The price of water for consumers in Bangkok is ridiculously low, so there is simply no incentive to try to cut back on its use. The junta should introduce a “drought levy” as a means of discouraging wasteful water use. The extra money raised could be collected by the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority as part of its existing billing system and then made available as part of drought relief measures the junta will need to implement in coming months.
• Another problem are the tourists the country now relies on – these people are mostly unaware of water problems here, and it is a well-known fact that tourists use more water than they would at home. The junta needs to persuade accommodation providers to introduce water conservation measures in their establishments. At the same time, the junta must prepare a simple information sheet about the country’s water problems that is handed to all arriving tourists.
• The junta needs to ensure that industry also takes responsibility for proper water management. Although this may take much longer to implement, the focus here needs to be on recycling water where possible.
• Finally, the junta must educate all Thai’s to accept their responsibility to conserve water at this critical time then it may go some way to easing the burden on the suffering farmers who are going to need increasing assistance over the coming months.

Once Thailand gets through the current drought, then it can start to focus on the mid- and long-term projects!

[kannot]

The current El Niño was predicted back at the beginning of the year, yet very few in Thailand were voicing concern then. So, all the “solutions” now being proposed reminds me of a horse galloping down the road, and a barn with its door wide open!

That said, the outlook for the next six months is quite grim, so the junta does need to do far more than simply warn farmers not to plant their off-season rice crop.

The Robust Water Infrastructure System seems to be a great long-term solution, and the junta should consider allocating funding for it, however, their main focus must be on short-term water management for at least the next six months.

To date, the farmers have been the ones in the junta’s sites, while city-dwellers and industry have been seemingly free to continue wasteful water practices. The focus definitely needs to shift to water conservation being the responsibility of everyone in Thailand, and the only way this can be achieved quickly is through the junta introducing an appropriate “user pays” policy aimed at reducing water use.

As I see it, the following key areas could be addressed through policy in reasonably short time:

• The price of water for consumers in Bangkok is ridiculously low, so there is simply no incentive to try to cut back on its use. The junta should introduce a “drought levy” as a means of discouraging wasteful water use. The extra money raised could be collected by the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority as part of its existing billing system and then made available as part of drought relief measures the junta will need to implement in coming months.
• Another problem are the tourists the country now relies on – these people are mostly unaware of water problems here, and it is a well-known fact that tourists use more water than they would at home. The junta needs to persuade accommodation providers to introduce water conservation measures in their establishments. At the same time, the junta must prepare a simple information sheet about the country’s water problems that is handed to all arriving tourists.
• The junta needs to ensure that industry also takes responsibility for proper water management. Although this may take much longer to implement, the focus here needs to be on recycling water where possible.
• Finally, the junta must educate all Thai’s to accept their responsibility to conserve water at this critical time then it may go some way to easing the burden on the suffering farmers who are going to need increasing assistance over the coming months.

Once Thailand gets through the current drought, then it can start to focus on the mid- and long-term projects!

"Once Thailand gets through the current drought, then it can start to focus on the mid- and long-term projects!"

ALL will be forgotten

[zaphod reborn]

Thinking so small. Non-existent planning.

The "Robust Water Infrastruc-ture System", comprising check dams and ponds that will be linked via a canal, should be implemented in all tambons, so each tambon can have its own "large water jar in the backyard", said Asst Prof Sucharit Koontanakulvong.

How about a national water system, with an aqueduct? The problem is dealing with floodwaters in the east, north and south, and getting that water to the drought-stricken northeast and central areas. You can't accomplish that by constructing your piddly little monkey cheek reservoirs. The national water transport system would also solve your electricity generating issues.

[CantSpell]

2000 years ago, Romans had aqueducts...

And in the meantime, in the south: pouring rain all over the place...

Maybe some water pipeline between provinces

[Thian]

The current El Niño was predicted back at the beginning of the year, yet very few in Thailand were voicing concern then. So, all the “solutions” now being proposed reminds me of a horse galloping down the road, and a barn with its door wide open!

That said, the outlook for the next six months is quite grim, so the junta does need to do far more than simply warn farmers not to plant their off-season rice crop.

The Robust Water Infrastructure System seems to be a great long-term solution, and the junta should consider allocating funding for it, however, their main focus must be on short-term water management for at least the next six months.

To date, the farmers have been the ones in the junta’s sites, while city-dwellers and industry have been seemingly free to continue wasteful water practices. The focus definitely needs to shift to water conservation being the responsibility of everyone in Thailand, and the only way this can be achieved quickly is through the junta introducing an appropriate “user pays” policy aimed at reducing water use.

As I see it, the following key areas could be addressed through policy in reasonably short time:

• The price of water for consumers in Bangkok is ridiculously low, so there is simply no incentive to try to cut back on its use. The junta should introduce a “drought levy” as a means of discouraging wasteful water use. The extra money raised could be collected by the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority as part of its existing billing system and then made available as part of drought relief measures the junta will need to implement in coming months.
• Another problem are the tourists the country now relies on – these people are mostly unaware of water problems here, and it is a well-known fact that tourists use more water than they would at home. The junta needs to persuade accommodation providers to introduce water conservation measures in their establishments. At the same time, the junta must prepare a simple information sheet about the country’s water problems that is handed to all arriving tourists.
• The junta needs to ensure that industry also takes responsibility for proper water management. Although this may take much longer to implement, the focus here needs to be on recycling water where possible.
• Finally, the junta must educate all Thai’s to accept their responsibility to conserve water at this critical time then it may go some way to easing the burden on the suffering farmers who are going to need increasing assistance over the coming months.

Once Thailand gets through the current drought, then it can start to focus on the mid- and long-term projects!

555 During the flooding we also thought they would develop a good plan against floodings so it would never happen again.

What has been done so far? right.....

[elgordo38]

The current El Niño was predicted back at the beginning of the year, yet very few in Thailand were voicing concern then. So, all the “solutions” now being proposed reminds me of a horse galloping down the road, and a barn with its door wide open!

That said, the outlook for the next six months is quite grim, so the junta does need to do far more than simply warn farmers not to plant their off-season rice crop.

The Robust Water Infrastructure System seems to be a great long-term solution, and the junta should consider allocating funding for it, however, their main focus must be on short-term water management for at least the next six months.

To date, the farmers have been the ones in the junta’s sites, while city-dwellers and industry have been seemingly free to continue wasteful water practices. The focus definitely needs to shift to water conservation being the responsibility of everyone in Thailand, and the only way this can be achieved quickly is through the junta introducing an appropriate “user pays” policy aimed at reducing water use.

As I see it, the following key areas could be addressed through policy in reasonably short time:

• The price of water for consumers in Bangkok is ridiculously low, so there is simply no incentive to try to cut back on its use. The junta should introduce a “drought levy” as a means of discouraging wasteful water use. The extra money raised could be collected by the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority as part of its existing billing system and then made available as part of drought relief measures the junta will need to implement in coming months.
• Another problem are the tourists the country now relies on – these people are mostly unaware of water problems here, and it is a well-known fact that tourists use more water than they would at home. The junta needs to persuade accommodation providers to introduce water conservation measures in their establishments. At the same time, the junta must prepare a simple information sheet about the country’s water problems that is handed to all arriving tourists.
• The junta needs to ensure that industry also takes responsibility for proper water management. Although this may take much longer to implement, the focus here needs to be on recycling water where possible.
• Finally, the junta must educate all Thai’s to accept their responsibility to conserve water at this critical time then it may go some way to easing the burden on the suffering farmers who are going to need increasing assistance over the coming months.

Once Thailand gets through the current drought, then it can start to focus on the mid- and long-term projects!

All your ideas are great but unfortunately will fall on deaf ears. Once you start telling tourists you have a water problem they use social media and tell the rest of the travelling world and that would never do. Thailand is just acting in a human nature like fashion in that why do something until a problem exists. Again water storage needs foresight another short sight here plus lack of money. Its great to read all the TV members who have created personal water storage but they had the foresight money and means to do so. I imagine it was much like when Noah built his ark and people here observed you and then walked away shaking their heads. With growing populations water shortage/climate change it is here to stay and like birth control should be taught to children at an early age the importance of both especially water. Oh well back to the next episode of the world stumbles on. If there were a profit motive and I do not mean to farmers but big business to tackle drought I imagine idea's would be coming out of the woodwork.