More rain needed to replenish dams

CHAI NAT: The rain brought on by Tropical Storm Sinlaku may have caused flooding across 13 provinces in the North and the Northeast, but water management agencies are hoping more rain will come to replenish the major reservoirs which feed the farmlands in the Central Plains.

“This year’s precipitation is 5% below average, and most rain — including that brought on by Sinlaku — fell in the North and Northeast, which is outside our catchment area,” said the chief of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), Somkiat Prajamwong, told reporters as he led a press trip to inspect Chai Nat’s irrigation infrastructure.

Authorities are hoping more water will flow into the Bhumibol, Sirikit, Pasak Jolasid and Kwai Noi Bamrung Dan dams — major reservoirs in the Central Plains which feed the country’s largest farmlands — over the next two months.

“We will have to wait until the end of September before we can make water consumption and management plans for next year,” he said.

Thailand has suffered acute water shortages since 2018 because of droughts. The little rain which does fall does not flow into the country’s main reservoirs, due to the poor state of irrigation networks outside of the country’s agricultural centre.

The situation this year is no better — despite the widespread flooding in the North and Northeast, Thailand is at risk of a severe water shortage as water reserves in the country’s major reserves are way too low.

The amount of useable water in Bhumibol dam in Tak, for instance, is equal to only 1% of its total capacity — forcing the government to ask farmers in the Central Plains to postpone this season’s harvest, as it does not have enough water to meet their demands.

Krisada Sriphiumpun, director of the 12th Irrigation Office based in Chai Nat, said the province’s Chao Phraya dam currently only has enough water to supply 3.5 million rai of farmlands this year.

“We expected to plant rice on 8.1 million rai of farms this year, which is already a little lower than last year,” he said.

“We hope rainfall over the next two months will help us reach our target.”