Water shortage concerns allayed

The water level at Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province as of Wednesday. (Photo by Chudate Seehawaong)

People should not be concerned about reports of possible water shortages because the Royal Irrigation Department has properly laid down a plan for water management during the dry season, an official said.

Suchart Charoensri, director of the Chai Nat-based 12th Irrigation Office, was responding to reports that drought would possibly return this year with the same severity as in 2016.

Mr Suchart, who is responsible for water management in the western side of the lowlands of the Central Region, the country's largest area for rice production, said the amount of water in four major dams was at manageable levels.

Bhumibol Dam now holds 3,005 million cubic metres available for agriculture and other purposes; Sirikit Dam has 4,808 million cu/m; Kwae Noy Bamrung Daen 903 million; and, Pasak Jolasid Dam 988 million, he said.

The water in the four dams stands at 9,704 million cu/m. Of the total, 1,100 million cu/m will be for consumption, 1,450 million for maintaining the ecological system, 3,754 million for use in the dry season between May and July, and the rest for farming.

Farmers, however, are urged to grow plants which need little water in the dry season instead of second-crop rice, he said.