The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) will seek approval from the newly-established national committee on water resources, for the go-ahead on water diversion projects from two boundary rivers.
Residents catch fish in the shallow Jao Jed irrigation canal in tambon Tha Dindaeng of Ayutthaya’s Phak Hai district yesterday. Water in the canal has declined rapidly after authorities stopped pumping it into irrigation canals to conserve water for consumption. Chanat Katanyu
The projects are an effort to solve the drought crisis in the Central Plains and northeastern regions in the long term.
Thanar Suwattana, the department’s spokesman, said the department would propose to divert water from the Moei River at a section in Mae Saliang district in Mae Hong Son province to the Mae Tuen River, which directly links to the Ping River flowing into the Bhumibol dam in Tak province.
The diversion project would run around 40 kilometres in length.
"If successful, it could dispatch around two billion cubic metres per year to Bhumibol dam," he said.
The 327-km Moei River is a natural boundary between Thailand and Myanmar, starting from Phop Phra district of Tak to meet the Salween River on the border of Mae Hong Son.
Mr Thanar said the diversion project will be developed at the river section located in Thai territory so it has no need to negotiate with Myanmar.
He said the other project would divert water from the Mekong River to the Chi and Mun rivers in the Northeastern region. The project starts from Chiang Khan district in Loei where water from the Mekong River would be diverted into a new, 100-km canal which will be dug under the project.
The canal will be the water course sending the water into the two rivers in the Northeastern region.
The project could feed more water into Ubolratana dam in Khon Kaen and nearby reservoirs. Upper Northeastern provinces will also reap benefits from the project such as Nong Bua Lam Phu and Loei.
The projects, under the department's 10-year plan, will be forwarded for approval to the National Water Resources Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in its first meeting next Wednesday. The committee was set up last Wednesday, said Mr Thanar.
Meanwhile, Nutthavutthi Chamchang, Bhumibol dam director, said the amount of usable water is around 206 million cu/m, meaning only 2.13% of the total capacity remains. The dam will cut the discharged water volume from six million cu/m yesterday to five million today. With the remaining supply, the dam will have enough water to release for 26 more days.
Meanwhile, water distribution under His Majesty the King's initiative started yesterday in several provinces.
Distorn Vajarodaya, Grand Chamberlain of the Bureau of the Royal Household, said His Majesty instructed the royally-sponsored Rajaprajanugroh Foundation to contact more than 100 schools in 53 provinces under its supervision to provide residents with water for consumption.
The initiative will stop when the rain comes, likely early next month, he said.
Mr Distorn also inspected activities at the royal rainmaking stations in Nakhon Sawan and Phitsanulok on Friday.
The rainmaking, which started early this month has resulted in rainfall in seven targeted provinces of Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Chai Nat, Lop Buri and Saraburi, he said.
A woman stocks up on water at the special education centre in Ang Thong’s Muang district yesterday. The royally-sponsored Rajaprajanugroh Foundation, the Interior and Education ministries have helped to supply water to residents in drought-stricken areas to ease shortages. Chanat Katanyu