BANGKOK – The Royal Irrigation Department is sourcing water to cope with drought and forest fires in Chiang Mai province, its director-general said.
Thongplew Kongjun said he ordered irrigation officials in the northern province to find sources of water to deal with drought and forest fires that were escalating. Local organizations needed water to increase humidity in the air and to spray from high rises to reduce smog, he said.
According to Mr Thongplew, there are 12 medium and large-sized reservoirs and 117 small ponds in the province and reserved water fills 43% of their capacities.
There is also water in ponds at military camps reserved for tap water production. He assured that there was enough water at the Mae Ngad Somboon Chol dam and in Mae Taeng irrigation canal in Mae Taeng district for tap water production for people in Chiang Mai and some areas of Lamphun province throughout this dry season.
Two more medium-scaled reservoirs and new water-pumping stations would be built to serve the expansion of farmland in the future, Mr Thongplew said.
