InfoQuest (July 23, 2019) -- Mr. Thongplew Kongjun, director general of the Department of Royal Irrigation (DRI), revealed that several provinces are experiencing a shortage of water resources due to the drought caused by rainfall below the average. The DRI has teamed up with relevant agencies to provide assistance to farmers. For example, the water conservancy project in Chiang Rai has installed an 8-inch water pump to help address water shortage of 2,500-rai croplands in Wiang Chai Sub-district, Wiang Chai District.
In Chai Nat, the 12th Branch of the DRI worked with the Machinery Department to install more water pumps. They planned to pump water from nearby sources to the Khlong MU Canal. To realize this goal, they installed two axial flow pumps to increase water velocity of Phonthep Water Gate which is 22 kilometers away from the canal. A total of six mobile pumps were installed in two locations. Of these, two pumps were used to pump water from Huay Tanot to Makham Thao- Kra Siao (Khlong MK section canal), and four pumps to pump water from Bueng Krachap to Khlong MK section canal. With all these efforts, the water condition in Makham Thao-U Thong Canal (Khlong MU Canal) is beginning to improve now.
In addition, another six pumps were added at the site which is 47 kilometers away from the terminal section of the Khlong MK section canal, to supply water to the Khlong MU Canal. And two electric water pumps were installed at the place that is 99 kilometers away from the Bangkhontee Pump Station. It was expected to increase the flow of Khlong MU Canal by about 3.38 cubic meters per second.
As precipitation in Khon Kaen is well below the seasonal average, water storage in large and medium-sized reservoirs in this region is thus very low. The Ubol Ratana Dam only stores 568 million cubic meters of water. At present, about 13 million cubic meters of water at the bottom of the dam has been used for consumer demands. All water projects in the region were required to monitor water conditions, and special measures should be taken to manage the amount of water utilized for consumption and production of water supply.
In light of the scheme to provide diversion irrigation for more than 160,000 rai of croplands within the irrigation range of the Nong Wai Irrigation and Maintenance Project, rotation irrigation was launched on 24 July. It was planned to utilize about 10 million cubic meters of water from the Nong Wai Dam area to mitigate losses for farmers who have already been engaged in farming. Farmers were advised to consume water strictly in accordance with the irrigation schedule. And all relevant departments were required to see water conservation achieved in order to make full use of the limited water resources.
Source: InfoQuest, by Nisarat Wichiensri / Rachada, translated by Xinhua Silk Road
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