Manage water traffic to prevent flooding in the lower Chao Phraya basin

The Royal Irrigation Department manages water traffic between the Chao Phraya Dam and the Pasak Cholasit Dam to reduce impacts on the lower Chao Phraya Basin.

Mr. Thanet Sombun, Director of the Office of Water Management and Hydrology, said that the Chao Phraya Dam has been used to hold back water from the upper part at the front of the dam to control the release rate at 2,199 cubic meters per second for as long as possible. However, if water from the Yom River that flooded Sukhothai Province flows down to fill the next phase, the Chao Phraya Dam may have to adjust the release rate again, but it will not exceed 2,400 cubic meters per second.

When the Chao Phraya Dam increased water discharge, it was necessary to manage water traffic to reduce the impact on the lower Chao Phraya area by continuously reducing the discharge from the Pasak Jolasid Dam since last week. Today, the discharge was reduced from 200 cubic meters/second to 150 cubic meters/second. Then tomorrow morning (8 October), the discharge will
be reduced to 100 cubic meters/second and the discharge rate will be maintained.

For the Chao Phraya River flowing through Bang Sai District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, the average volume is 1,990 cubic meters, which is still less than the river capacity of 3,500 cubic meters/second. Therefore, the water released from the Chao Phraya Dam will definitely not increase the Chao Phraya River flowing through Bangkok and its vicinity. However, areas along the river or in areas with low bank levels will be affected during periods of high tide.

The Royal Irrigation Department coordinates with Bangkok to manage water and quickly drain it out to sea to drain water from canals to accommodate water from possible rain.

Source: Thai News Agency