Thailand Floods of 2018

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PeteC
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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Rush to release water from brimming Vajiralongkorn dam
Published: 1/08/2018 at 02:10 PM
Online news: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... recent_box

KANCHANABURI: With Vajiralongkorn dam now approaching maximum capacity and holding a 34-year record volume of water, officials have begun opening spillway gates to increase the rate of discharge to 36 million cubic metres a day.

It was agreed at a meeting on Tuesday the current rate of discharge, at 28 million cu/m per day, was inadequate.

The amount of water in the dam reservoir was "above the control level by 930 million cu/m", dam director Wiwit Saengphanit said after reviewing the latest situation assessment in this rain drenched province.

The dam was at 81% of capacity, and there was room for only 1.7 million cu/m more water.

Without releasing water through the spillways, "the dam is at risk of being filled", Mr Wiwit warned.

The rate would be gradualy increased by 2-3 million cu/m per day to 36 million cu/m, to avoid serious impact on communities downstream in the Kwae Noi River.

The river converges with the Kwae Yai River and becomes the Mae Klong River in Kanchanaburi's Muang district, about 153km from the dam in Thong Pha Phum district.

Some riverside areas were reported to be already flooded by overflow from the rain-swollen Kwae Noi.

Last month, torrential rain hit the far-flung district of Sangkhla Buri, located north west of Thong Pha Phum. It triggered severe flooding and mudslides, affecting hundreds of villagers, many of whom were stranded without food or water in the upper floors of their houses.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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11 dams reaching their storage limit
Published: 2/08/2018 at 04:17 AM
Newspaper section: News https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... rage-limit

Eleven major dams are reaching the limit of their storage capacities, which is putting them at risk of flooding, according to the Royal Irrigation Department (RID).

Most are reservoirs and hydro-dams located in the northeastern and western parts of the country.

The Vajiralongkorn, Kaeng Krachan and Pran Buri dams in the West are said to be facing problems, as are the Nam Oon, Nam Phoong, Chulabhorn, Ubonrat, Lam Pao and Lam Phra Plerng dams in the Northeast.

Mae Ngad Somboonchon reservoir in Chiang Mai and the Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri are also considered at risk.

To cope with these problems, the government has ordered the reservoirs and dams to be drained at a faster rate so they can receive more rainfall that is expected to pound the northeastern and western regions of the country until Saturday.

The state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) was ordered to release 38 million cubic metres a day from the Vajiralongkorn dam in Kanchanaburi province, up from 28 million cu/m now.

The agency has already increased the amount of water discharged from the Srinakarin dam in the same province from 8 million cu/m per day to 13 million cu/m.

The westernmost district of Sangkhla Buri is suffering serious flooding due to heavy rains that have led to run-off in valley areas.

The RID insisted Wednesday that increased discharge would not affect areas downstream.

Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general to the Office of National Water Resources, said the government would impose two measures for better water management in reservoirs.

The first is a cap on capacity and the second is the building of sluice gates.

"We need to accept that not all reservoirs and dams can manage their water flow well due to certain limitations," Mr Somkiat said.

"But due to the current crisis associated with climate change, dams and reservoirs must be changed from only generating electricity, or being used for farming purposes, to become part of the flood-control system."

He said limits would be placed on how much water they can store from next year, with 10% of their total capacity left empty to account for water-drainage.

Some non-hydro dams and medium-or small-sized reservoirs are not equipped with sluice gates which has limited their capacity to discharge floodwater in such situations, he added.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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......"The Vajiralongkorn, Kaeng Krachan and Pran Buri dams in the West are said to be facing problems, as are the Nam Oon, Nam Phoong, Chulabhorn, Ubonrat, Lam Pao and Lam Phra Plerng dams in the Northeast.".....

Referencing above. I've never seen, and perhaps few have, that huge reservoir at Kaeng Krachan even close to being full. The last time there the banks above the water line were 40-60' high. If it is indeed full or close to being full I think that may be an event not seen in decades. Pete :cheers:
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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Isn't that where they release excessive amounts from each year causing devastating flooding? Or is there another dam in the area?
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

Post by caller »

I was at Pranburi Dam last Friday (27th July) and it was certainly looking pretty full. I took a few phone pics, so excuse quality.

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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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Isn't that the dam where Hua Hin water comes from? If so there shouldn't be any supply problems for the foreseeable future. Pete :cheers:
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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Swollen Mekong 75cm from banks
Breaking News August 02, 2018 13:34 By The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... s/30351299

The Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom continued to rise on Thursday due to Wednesday night's downpours, reducing the drainage offered by rising tributary canals, especially Lam Nam Kam and Lam Nam Bang, with over 130,000 rai of farmland already submerged.

As of 8am, the Mekong was measured at 12.25 metres, about 25cm beyond the critical point and was only 75cm from the banks. The Thoranit Narumit floodgate, the last stop before Lam Nam Kam would pour into the Mekong, opened all its four gates but was not fast enough to drain floodwater.

Lam Na Kam has overflowed resulting in the flooding of many villages in Tambon Piman of Na Kae district and large areas of farmland.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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PeteC wrote:Isn't that the dam where Hua Hin water comes from? If so there shouldn't be any supply problems for the foreseeable future. Pete :cheers:
Yes. And Kaeng Krachan also these days. On the TV news the other day they showed water being released from Pranburi dam (as in one of the pics above), saying it was 80% full, whereas other dams were > 90%.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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Flood crisis centre set up to monitor rising dam reservoirs
Published: 3/08/2018 at 01:55 PM
Online news: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... recent_box

A "centre for managing the flood crisis" was set up on Friday to monitor the rapidly rising levels of water in reservoirs nationwide as discharge rates were stepped up at three major dams reaching the limit of their storage capacities.

The centre was established at the behest of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to integrate the work of agencies involved in water management, Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general of the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), said.

''They include the ONWR, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), the Water Resources Department, the Meteorological Department, the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, and the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency.

"The crisis centre expects more heavy rain from Sunday, particularly in Tak, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. In light of this, water needed to be drained from reservoirs over the next 10 days to prepare for more rain expected in the middle of this month," he said.

Currently, water levels were very high at 12 major dams. Three of them -- Nam Oun dam in Sakon Nakhon, Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi and the Vajiralongkorn dam in Kanchanaburi -- were almost full. Discharge rates were being increased.

Steps would be taken to ease the impact water of opening the dam floodgates on people downstream, and evacuation plans made for people in designated flood-risk areas, Mr Somkiat said. People would be provided with regular updates.

Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya had stressed the need to check the structural integrity of dams and for the centre to report the progress in water management to him daily, Mr Somkiat said.

Currently, there was nothing to worry about at Bhumibol dam in Tak, Sirikit dam in Uttaradit and the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat, he said.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

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2869314.jpg
2869314.jpg (50.19 KiB) Viewed 756 times
A second article with more detail about the current problems throughout the country.


https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... evels-rise
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Re: Weather in Hua Hin & Thailand

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I can't read this but I'm told it's warning about problems with Pranburi dam, with heavy rain through 5-8th August :

http://www.tenfy.info/2018/08/blog-post_65.html
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Re: Weather in Hua Hin & Thailand

Post by hhinner »

The photos in the article are pretty similar to those posted by caller in the Thailand Floods of 2018 thread a few days ago. The article also talks about releasing water to prepare for coming rain in the next few days and runoff from the nearby mountains.
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Re: Weather in Hua Hin & Thailand

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Google Translate of the above Thai article:


The Pranburi Dam Flood island Drain out The sheriff ordered all parties to prepare for the situation (with clips)

At 1:00 pm today, 5 August 61, journalists have traveled to Pranburi Dam Pranburi Prachuap Khiri Khan Province The water flows down from the Sri Rang. Many of the dams in Pranburi. Make a Pranburi Dam There are approximately 311 million cubic meters of water in the Pranburi Dam or 80% of the Pranburi Dam. The total capacity of the water is 391 million cubic meters, which makes the high floods in the middle of the surfing almost midnight.

The Royal Irrigation Department approved the dam. Drainage To support the flow of water from the Wirsi Mountain continuous. The water discharge into the canal. And the river Pranburi. The analysis of the situation in the Pranburi Dam. Watch the upstream situation. And the water level released from the dam closely.

Mr. Kittipong Sukkasakul, Pranburi District Sheriff, said that the district has prepared various meetings to prevent the impact. From the mass of water in the embankment flowing into the river Pranburi. It will flow through the villagers next to the river Pranburi. And the water will be swept away. It has warned the villagers, including shops in the community and markets intersection Pranburi. Be careful and prepare all the time. If there is another monsoon or storm.

In addition, there was a meeting with all parties involved in the water situation in Pranburi Dam. I believe that it can control the water situation in the dam. The water will be 8.7 million cents per day per day, until the water in the dam is reduced to 70% of the dam level, or about 270 million cubic meters.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

Post by Dannie Boy »

I’m told by my wife that it’s a similar situation in Petchaburi with the dams ready to overflow soon.
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Re: Thailand Floods of 2018

Post by HHTel »

Wasn't it the release of water from the Kaeng Krachan dam coupled with heavy rains that flooded Petchaburi a couple of years ago. I remember jetskis were being used on Petchkasem Road.

Will this be a repeat of what happened then?
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