KANCHANABURI: More water is being discharged from three major dams in this western province after heavy downpours brought by a depression and the southwest monsoon filled them close to the brim.
Pairat Thapprasert, acting director of the 13th Irrigation Office, told the provincial governor that it is necessary to discharge more water from Vajiralongkorn, Sinakharin and Mae Klong dams.
Vajiralongkorn Dam in Thong Pha Phum district is currently holding 7,403 million cubic metres of water, or 83.56% of its full capacity - exceeding its safe maximum level - while Sinakharin Dam in Si Sawat district has 15,338 million cu/m of water, or 86.44% of its capacity.
The Office of National Water Resources has instructed the Royal Irrigation Department and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to release more water from the dams to prepare for higher rainfall expected in the next two to three months.
Vajiralongkorn Dam will increase its water release from 36 to 39 million cu/m per day on Aug 5 and to 43 million cu/m per day on Aug 6.
Si Nakharin Dam will increase its discharge from 15 million cu/m per day to 18 million cubic metres per day on Aug 4 and to 20 million cu/m per day on Aug 5.
Mae Klong Dam in Tha Muang district, which takes water from the two upper dams, will also release more water downstream.
Local administrations, business operators and people living downstream of the three dams have been warned of possible flooding as a result of the heavier flow.