Dr Surasi Kittimonthon, secretary general of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), ventured out to areas in Lop Buri province, currently threatened with the possibility of water scarcity, on Monday, July 31. He was given a detailed description of the water situation, plantation methods during the rainy season, and the region’s water management blueprint by Dr Thaweesak Thanadachopol, the deputy director general of the Royal Irrigation Department. Moreover, Dr Surasi took the time to examine Kho Kra Tiem’s water delivery and preservation project and the water administration setup in the Chai Nat-Pasak Canal.
Nationwide cumulative rainfall data from the beginning of the year suggests that there’s an overall decline in normal rainfall, including during the rainy season. The central region, specifically, is projected to encounter a deficiency in rainfall, likely to be approximately 40% beneath normal levels.
In the midst of the ongoing El Nino event, a mere 189 million cubic meters (15%) of water is present in the Central region’s major water sources, while the entire country’s water bodies hold 36.33 billion cubic meters (51%).
However, forecasts from the Meteorological Department and the ONWR for the upcoming months, August and September, anticipates the possibility of 1-2 storms making their way into Thailand. These storms would be beneficial in replenishing the low-volume reservoirs and preparing for the inevitable dry months.
Responsibility has been given to the Department of Royal Irrigation and the regional water supply agencies by the ONWR to manage water resources diligently across all regions and to devise a water management strategy against climate fluctuations. This is done to cushion the blow of the anticipated effects of the El Nino phenomenon, which is expected to roll into 2024. Priorities are given to ensure enough water resources are allocated according to reservoir inflow to prepare for potential drought situations.
The substantial water-demanding rice cultivation fields cover an area of 17.17 million acres. This is less than the target 23.70 million acres within and beyond the irrigation zone. Provinces within the Chao Phraya River Basin have an area of 4.36 million acres, which again falls short of the desired 5.19 million acres. Consequently, the Royal Irrigation Department has issued an appeal to rice farmers to switch over to faster-growing crops that require less water.
The Royal Irrigation Department has also pledged to plan and regulate water use to guarantee sustained supplies until the arrival of the next year’s rainy season. Regional water supply agencies are tasked to generate and prepare water reservoirs for municipal water production to meet public demands.
In the meantime, authorities in Lop Buri are keeping a keen eye on water levels in the Chai Nat-Pasak Canal, while maintaining control over water distribution centers according to the planned schedule. Additional preparedness includes the construction of water barricades in the Chai Nat-Pasak Canal to elevate water levels near the water pump at the Kho Kra Tiem water gate as well as redirecting water from the massive reservoirs while reducing water pressure during defined intervals. In collaboration with local bodies, water supply authorities will deploy water trucks and containers to distribute water to impacted zones.
In order to deal with the 2023 rainy season, each agency has been commanded to adopt twelve measures. These range from preparing personnel and machinery, performing timely repairs and maintenance of the irrigation systems and flood control measures, to quickly eradicating aquatic plant invasions and obstructions in waterways. The plan also involves disaster scenario simulations, setting up of regional front-end centres, and reinforcing the central region’s community network.
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