ID :
164703
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 12:40
Auther :

Falling water level at Thailand’s largest dam alarms authorities

UTTARADIT, Feb 28 (TNA) - Authorities at Sirikit Dam, Thailand’s largest earth dam in the northeastern Uttaradit Province have advised local farmers against using water supply for their dry-crop plantations this year--after the level of usable water at the main dam has fallen to some 40 per cent.

Somkid Khaengraeng, who heads the management of Sirikit Dam, disclosed on Monday (Feb 28) that the water level at the Sirikit Dam is now at about 5,765 million cubic metres, only some 2,915 million cubic metres of which can be utilised, or about 40 per cent, due to early drought in the country this year--which has already affected several provinces.

Somkid said that his province's first-round dry-crop plantations this year should not be affected by the annual drought, but he advised local farmers against their second-round dry-crop plantations due to signs of lower water availability from probably mid-year drought--although some 35 million cubic metres of water will continue to flow from the Sirikit Dam until the end of April.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Royal Irrigation Department has approved a release of some 36 million cubic metres of water supply from the Sirikit Dam to some 229,769 rai of local farmlands to help mitigate this year's drought impacts on dry-crop plantations in low-end areas of the dam, marking an increase of some 10 million cubic metres of released water--compared to last year's figure. (TNA)

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