Flood risk rising with dam discharges

Flood risk rising with dam discharges

People watch water being discharged through a spillway from the Vajiralongkorn dam in Thong Pha Phum district of Kanchanaburi province on Saturday. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)
People watch water being discharged through a spillway from the Vajiralongkorn dam in Thong Pha Phum district of Kanchanaburi province on Saturday. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

KANCHANABURI: Residents living downstream of the Vajiralongkorn dam have been warned to brace for more flooding as its discharge rate will be increased by 10% from Sept 4-10.

The dam is currently discharging 53 million cubic metres per day of water after more than 70 million cu/m of rainwater poured into its reservoir, filling it almost to capacity. Authorities have now decided to raise the rate by 5 million cu/m to 58 million, according to a source familiar with the situation.

The increase will take effect on Tuesday and continue until Sept 10. Water levels in upstream districts (parts of Thong Pha Phum and Sangkhla Buri) and downstream areas will rise as a result. 

Coupled with continuous rains, water discharges have already inundated 180 residences alongside the reservoir at two villages in tambon Nong Lu of Sangkhla Buri district. District authorities have prepared a temporary shelter for affected residents but most have refused to leave their flooded houses.

Wat Tai Nam in Sangkhla Buri, an attraction featured in the Unseen Thailand tourism campaign, has been badly affected. Only 50 centimetres of the roof of the temple’s bot or ordination hall remain above water.

Several resorts in downstream areas are closed and guests have been cancelling room bookings. Staff have moved belongings to higher ground to prepare for the next round of flooding.

Concern about flooding is rising in many parts of the country, particularly since the rainy season still has 6-8 weeks left to go.

Flood warnings were issued earlier for some Central Plains provinces and areas along the Mekong, as the season is shaping up to be the wettest since 2011.

Waiwit Saengpanit, director of the Vajiralongkorn dam, said on Saturday that the reservoir currently held 8.35 billion cubic metres of water, or 94% of its capacity of 8.86 billion. The dam can accommodate only another 505 million cu/m, making the current discharge rate inadequate.

Elsewhere in Kanchanaburi, the reservoir at the Srinagarind dam in Si Sawat district of Kanchanaburi now holds 16.1 billion cu/m, or 90.8% of its capacity, with room for 1.6 billion more.

Authorities on Saturday adjusted the water discharge rate to 22 million cu/m per day, said director Prasert Inthap.

The Vajiralongkorn dam is now at 94% of its storage capacity. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

The ordination hall of Wat Tai Nam in Sangkhla Buri is almost swamped. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

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