Nakhon Sawan’s giant lake to absorb runoffs, easing pressure on dam
Bueng Boraphet Lake in Nakhon Sawan is set to absorb 80 million cubic metres of runoffs to alleviate pressure on Chao Phraya Dam and protect downstream areas
Nakhon Sawan’s giant Bueng Boraphet Lake can be used to absorb some 80 million cubic metres of runoffs to reduce the load on the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat.
Dr Surasee Kittimonthol, director-general of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), said on Monday that ONWR has coordinated with the Royal Irrigation Department to channel floods from the Yom and Nan river basins into the Bueng Boraphet Lake. So far, some 290 million cubic metres of water has been shifted into the lake, he said, adding that there is enough space for another 90 million cubic metres or so.
Bueng Boraphet is Thailand’s largest freshwater lake spanning 132,737 rai (21,238 hectares) in Nakhon Sawan’s districts of Muang, Tha Tako and Chum Saeng.
The lake is located near the Nan River, and since the Yom River flows into the Nan River before the latter joins the Ping River and then the Chao Phraya reservoir, the lake can be used to take in overflows from both the Yom and Nan rivers.
Surasee said Bueng Boraphet is essential for reducing the burden on the Chao Phraya Dam, adding that both the ONWR and the irrigation department agree that the dam’s water level should be no higher than 17.2 metres above the median sea level.
Maintaining this level will prevent damages to the dam and it should not release water any quicker than 2,200 cubic metres per second to avoid overflowing in downstream provinces.
Surasee said the ONWR and the irrigation department will alert people living along the Chao Phraya downstream if the water release rate is higher than 2,200 cubic metres per second.
The irrigation department said it increased the water release rate to 2,200 cubic metres per second at 11am on Sunday after the C2 water measuring station in Muang district had detected the water flow at 2,383 cubic meters per second.
The irrigation department said the water flow measured at 1,865 cubic metres per second in Ayutthaya’s Bang Sai district. At this rate, most of Bangkok will still be safe from flooding and only some areas where the river bank or flood levee is low will be affected by overflows from the Chao Phraya during high tide, the department added.
