Reservoir drying up, 800 homes at risk

Huay Bong reservoir in Nakhon Ratchasima's Chum Phuang district is rapidly drying up and now holds only 1% of its intended capacity. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: The water level at Huay Bong reservoir in Chum Phuang district, which supplies more than 800 households, is at only 1% of its holding capacity, the lowest in 15 years.

Officials have closed all sluice gates of the reservoir in tambon Prasuk and stopped supplying water to farmland downstream.

The reservoir has only 1% of its designed capacity of 25 million cubic metres because of the low rainfall this year, an official said.

Water remaining in the reservoir would be kept for use by the more than 800 households in tambon Prasuk that rely on it.

However, residents fear there will not be enough. With the reservoir at it lowest level in 15 years, unless there is rain in the next couple of weeks, the outlook for them is not good.