Although it’s the middle of the rainy season, the Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan dam in Phitsanulok province stands nearly empty, with useable water at only 10.4% of capacity and local officials urging conservation.
Water is scarce at the Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan dam in Phitsanulok. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)
Dam director Somwang Parasuksan said Friday that Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan in in Wat Bot district has a capacity of 939 million cu metres but, right now, is filled to just 14.5% of its limit, or 136 cu meters.
Normally, he said, the dam receives substantial water in July and August but, this year, water intake has hit its lowest levels, Mr Somwang said.
Mr Somwang met with district authorities, urging them to convince local residents to reduce water consumption. If they don't, irrigation for about 250 sq kilometres of local farmland will be affected.
The low water level in Phitsanulok mirrors that at all of Thailand's large dams.
Combined capacity stands at 70.32 billion cu metres, but currently the dams hold just 34.26 billion cu metres of water. Usable water at large dams accounts for only 23% of capacity, according to the Royal Irrigation Department.