The Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat has been accelerating its water drainage efforts. As a result, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has issued a warning to 11 central provinces that lie along the Chao Phraya River, urging them to prepare for higher water levels. These provinces include Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Bangkok.
RID’s acting Director-General, Det Lekwichai, emphasized the urgency of the situation in his communication to the governors of these provinces on Thursday. He stated that the Royal Irrigation Department plans to increase its water outflow from 1,500 to 2,000 cubic meters per second due to an uptick in water volume coming from the North.
Forecasts from the agency indicate that the water flow rate through the C2 water measurement station in Nakhon Sawan could reach up to 2,100 cubic meters per second by Saturday. Mr. Det further explained that this predicted flow, when combined with an additional side flow of 150 cubic meters per second and water from the Sakae Krang River at 100 cubic meters per second, would create rapid water level increases at the Chao Phraya Dam. This situation necessitates a significantly higher water discharge from the dam.
“The increased outflow is expected to cause water levels in several low-lying areas, particularly in Ang Thong and Ayutthaya provinces, to rise by up to 1.5 meters,” Mr. Det noted, drawing attention to areas that are not shielded by dykes.
Further compounding the issue, a Facebook post reported a 40-centimeter rise in Ayutthaya’s water levels within a single day, leading to widespread flooding in several villages. The Ayutthaya Station Facebook page shared multiple updates on Thursday, highlighting the flood situation in the province.
According to one post, the water level increase led to the overflowing of the Noi River, inundating villages in the Bang Ban, Sena, and Phak Hai districts. The page questioned the authorities’ strategies, asking why water wasn’t being redirected to catchment fields, of which Ayutthaya has up to seven.
The Facebook page also criticized the authorities for inconsistent actions compared to their earlier announcements. Despite promising gradual increases in water release from the dam, they had been ramping up the volume swiftly over the past few days. The page noted that the actual released water volume was nearing 2,000 cubic meters per second, despite earlier assurances that the volume would be kept below 1,500 cubic meters per second.
“What is the truth? What is certain? Please be straightforward with the people,” read one of the posts, encapsulating the frustration and confusion among the affected residents.
In a related development, Uttaradit’s Sirikit Dam and Phitsanulok’s Kwae Noi Bumrung Dan Dam have reduced their daily outflows to 14 million cubic meters per second and 600,000 cubic meters per second, respectively. This reduction aims to lower water levels in the Nan River, which recently climbed to 7.33 meters.
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