Sirikit Dam opens taps to make room for looming deluge

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) said it has increased the amount of water being discharged from the Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit province to prepare for heavy rains expected next week.

- APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

The RID is accelerating the rate of water discharged from the dam, one of the country's main water suppliers, which has exceeded 80% of its storage capacity of late, in anticipation of the looming downpours.

Minister of Digital Economy and Society Prasert Jantararuangtong, who also chairs the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC), said the influence of tropical storm Wipha brought large volumes of inflow to the dam.

The dam has played a critical role in delaying the amount of water released to mitigate flooding downstream and optimise water management in the Yom River Basin. Rainfall in the upper regions has declined over the past week, leading to falling water levels in rivers and tributaries. Also, flooding conditions in the Yom-Nan river basins have started to ease.