Chao Phraya discharge rate stable, major dams full

Riverside communities in central provinces remain on alert as the northern flood surge continues to move downstream, but received some good news on Wednesday — the current discharge rate at the Chao Phraya  barrage dam will not to be increased.

The Royal Irrigation Department said the rate of release will not be lifted above the current 2,900 cubic metres per second this year.

The department reported the water situation at four major dams in the Chao Phraya Basin on Wednesday:

• At the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province, the reservoir holds 13,400 million cubic metres of water, 99% of its design capacity. 
• The Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit is holding 9,302 million cu/m (98%).
• At the Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan dam in Phitsanulok, water volume was 953 million cu/m (101%).
• The Pa Sak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri is holding 918 million cu/m (96%).

At the Chao Phraya Dam in Sapphaya district of Chai Nat province, water is being discharged at 2,900 cubic metres per second. It will not be raised above this rate this year as the country is now entering the cool, dry season, the department said on Wednesday.

The release rate was expected to be dialled back to the normal rate of 1,000 cubic metres per second in the third week of December.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported 13 provinces were still on alert for river flood overflows. They are Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan and Uthai Thani in the North and Suphan Buri, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi in the Central Plains.