Royal Irrigation Department to increase water discharge through Chao Phraya Dam

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) plans to increase the discharge of water through the Chao Phraya Dam in Nakhon Sawan province to 1,800m3/s, to ease pressure on the dam resulting from heavy rain in the upstream areas.

Witthaya Kaewmee, director general of the RID, said today that water in upstream of the dam keeps increasing, prompting the water resources subcommittee to increase the discharge through the dam.

From today until Friday, the amount of water at the C15 station will increase to 2,100-2,200m3/s, making it necessary for the department to release up to 2,000m3/s through the dam.

This increased discharge volume will raise the level of the Chao Phraya River by 0.70-1.20 metres in low-lying riverside areas in Ayutthaya’s districts of Sena, Oak Hai, Bang Bah, Muang, Bang Pa-in and Bang Sai and in areas not protected by flood walls. Areas along the Noi River will also be affected.

The department has asked authorities in Ayutthaya to advise people living on both sides of Chao Phraya to brace for possible flooding and to monitor the water situation constantly.

At 6am today, the C2 station in Nakhon Sawan reported water flow of 1,737m3/s and at 1,620m3/s at the C13 station in Chai Nat province.