Irrigation Dept to speed up water release from Chao Phraya Dam
The Royal Irrigation Dept speeds up water release from Chao Phraya Dam to manage upstream floodwaters, potentially causing overflow in downstream areas.
The Royal Irrigation Department announced on Tuesday that it would accelerate the release of water from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chainat to accommodate incoming upstream floodwaters.
The department stated that the water release rate would increase from 1,800 cubic metres per second at 3 p.m., reaching 1,900 cubic metres per second by 9 p.m.
The 1,900 cubic metres per second rate will be maintained for the time being.
The faster water release is expected to cause river overflow in low-lying areas of downstream provinces, including Angthong and Ayutthaya.
The Smart Water Operation Center (SWOC) of the department announced it has been closely monitoring rainfall and the nationwide flood situation.
The SWOC also stated that all water pumping stations under the department’s supervision were prepared to accelerate water discharge into the sea to minimize the impact on low-lying areas.
Additionally, the SWOC has been coordinating with irrigation offices across the country to prepare 6,772 pieces of equipment and tools, including water pumps, water-pushing machines, water trucks, and other devices to assist flood victims nationwide.
From May 1 to September 7, the SWOC assisted in managing floods in 53 provinces, responding to 1,169 incidents and providing 845 water pumps to drain more than 194 million cubic metres of floodwater.
