Bangkok – The Department of Royal Irrigation has reduced the water discharge from four major dams along the Chao Phraya River Basin, as many areas of Thailand have received more rain.
The Director-General of the DRI, Thongplew Kongchan, said the minimum water requirement for domestic consumption and ecology, excluding agriculture, is 18 million cubic meters per day. The water management plan, from the dry season to the rainy season next year, covers nine months. The demand for water is about 5.04 billion cubic meters, while the country currently has 4.90 billion cubic meters in its water supply. The Chao Phraya River Basin still has room for an additional 136 million cubic meters of water. The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has suggested that the Department of Royal Irrigation should conserve at least 300 million cubic meters of water. The department will reduce water usage in the Chao Phraya River Basin from 2.06 billion cubic meters to 1.76 billion.
The Department of Royal Irrigation has reduced water discharge from Bhumibol, Sirikit, Pa Sak Jolasid, and Kwai Noi Bumrung Dan dams in order to ensure that there is enough water during the upcoming dry season from November 2019 to April 2020. The next rainy season is expected to run from May to July 2020.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the amount of precipitation between August and September this year will return to average levels.
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