Situated in the heart of Khro Buri district, Nakhon Ratchasima, the Lam Chae reservoir serves as an indisputable lifeline for the community. However, recently, the reservoir has been dragging along a significant challenge – a drastic drop in its water level. To the critical observer, the reservoir presents a starkly different image from the past when its brimming water was a sight to behold. But fear not, as local authorities are stepping up efforts to manage and conserve the precious water for the forthcoming dry season.
Here’s a snapshot of the situation at hand: The Lam Chae reservoir, with a total capacity of 275 million cubic metres, currently possesses about 155 million cubic metres of water. This means the reservoir is almost half-empty, standing at a mere 53.71% of its hitherto-and-often achieved total capacity. This dip presents greater challenges, given the upcoming dry season, and crafted interventions are a must to alleviate the impending water crisis.
But worry not, for the local authorities have got things under control. To address the issue and prepare for the upcoming water requirement, plans are set in motion. To start with, a venture aimed at environmental conservation around the reservoir has been launched. An impressive 38 kilometres of irrigation canals will be used to supply about 15 million cubic metres of water. A significant portion of the water will be channelled towards maintaining the charm and serenity of the Lam Chae reservoir’s surrounding environs.
Further down the line, the water allocation sees 7 million cubic metres set aside for domestic consumption and drinking water production, two key priorities for the Provincial Waterworks Authority and Nakhon Ratchasima municipality. Agriculture, especially the maintenance of fruit trees and perennial plants, gets an allocation of 10 million cubic metres, with a separate reserve of one million cubic metres for industries, and 15 million cubic metres set aside for evaporation and seepage losses. Thus, the reservoir is keeping an addition 48 million cubic metres of water handy, all set for the dry season’s toll.
The current projections sketch an optimistic view of the dry season concluding by May 1, leaving the Lam Chae reservoir with about 147 million cubic metres of water. The off-season cultivation might have to take a pause for the year, but the expected rainfall will ensure a promising paddy cultivation during the monsoon. The rains will provide enough water for the rice fields, enough to cover over 98,500 acres, as per reports from KhaoSod.
However, this year’s focus remains plainly on maintaining the thriving fruit and economic tree population of the Khro Buri district, boasting an especially large collection of durian trees. The reduced level of water in the reservoir, courtesy of the El Niño phenomenon resulting in below-average rainfall, just 700 millimetres as opposed to the annual average of 1,080 millimetres, underscores the need for meticulous water management.
All these points considered, it’s important to note that the systematic water management will ensure that there will be enough water to cater to domestic and industrial consumption for the entire year, maintaining the balance in the ecosystem of the Khro Buri district in Nakhon Ratchasima. Water conservation might sound like a significant endeavor, but the Lam Chae reservoir, with its strategic planning, aims to prove that change is achievable, if not easy.
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