KHON KAEN: More water is being discharged from Ubolratana Dam as runoff from continuous heavy rain continues to flow into the already half-full reservoir.
Sompong Chamkamol, the water management and maintenance director of the Regional Irrigation Office 6, said a water resources panel decided on Monday that more water needed to be discharged to keep the level under the dam's maximum capacity.
On Monday morning, the water level in the dam was 177.92 metres above mean sea level. The dam was holding 1,156 million cubic metres, or 47.56% of its capacity of 2,431 million cubic metres. A total of 45.19 million cubic metres of water flowed into the dam reservoir on Sunday.
The panel decided to release water at the rate of 15 million cubic metres per day on Aug 22-23, 18 million cubic metres on Aug 24, and 21 million cubic metres on Aug 25. The rate of discharge would be adjusted as needed after that, but not exceed 25 million cubic metres per day.
On Monday morning, pumps at six sluice gates on the Huay Phra and Nam Phong streams were running at full capacity to discharge water from the streams into the Chi river, so the streams could take more water from Ubolratana Dam.
Mr Sompong said people living along the streams would be warned of possible flooding in the next few days.
He said the Chi river had begun to overflow in low-lying areas in Maha Sarakham province, but in Khon Kaen the water was still 1-2 metres below the spilling point.
Areas to be closely monitored for possible flooding include Chumphae district of Khon Kaen and Phu Khieo district of Chaiyaphum, while 1,000-2,000 rai in Selaphum district of Roi-et as already flooded, he said.