BANGKOK, Jan 3 (TNA) – The Royal Irrigation Department cut water discharge at four major dams while asking farmers to refrain from growing off-season rice due to low water supply.
The authority has reduced water discharge at four dams, Bhumibol, Sirikit, Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan and Pasak Jolasid to 18 million cubic metres and will keep this flow rate throughout the dry season.
Before the New Year, the department increased water release from the dams to 28 million cubic metres to maintain water inflow into the irrigation system and preserve water quality for tap water production, threatened by saltwater intrusion.
In the meantime, local authorities were assigned to control water pumping from the upstream rivers for crop cultivation in order to maintain the water level in the downstream Chao Phraya dam at 13.20 metres.
Otherwise, a drop in the water level could cause collapse of the river banks and severe saltwater intrusion that could affect tap water production. (TNA)
