The Nakhon Nayok governor has asked the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) to suspend the discharge of water into canals 14, 15 and 16 from the Pasak Chonlasit Reservoir, warning that additional water will worsen flooding in the province, particularly in Ongkharak district, where water from several sources is accumulating.
Governor Chanon Wasiksiri said the flooding had also damaged about 3,200 hectares of decorative flower nurseries in three subdistricts of Ongkharak, affecting more than 2,000 horticulturalists.
The nurseries have been submerged for more than six days. Several horticulturalists said they had expected to harvest their flowers for sale next month, but the crops have now been lost.
“Nongyao”, who runs one of the nurseries, said the current flooding was worse than the 2011 floods and that she did not know how she would be able to revive her business.
The Pasak Chonlasit Dam reported that the reservoir was holding 957.13 million cubic metres of water, or 109.83% of its capacity, with water inflows of 397.95m³/s, equivalent to 34.38 million cubic metres per day, while outflows were 500.04m³/s, or 43.20 million cubic metres per day.
Meanwhile, the RID said northern runoffs continued to flow into the Chao Phraya River, pushing up water levels upstream of the Chao Phraya Dam. It also reported that water levels in the Pasak River upstream of Rama 6 Dam had risen by 1-1.2 metres.
The department reported that the flow at the C2 station in Muang district of Nakhon Sawan was 2,038m³/s and falling, while the flow at the C13 station at the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat was 2,500m³/s.
The RID said that although water levels upstream of the dam had fallen in some areas, the volume of water arriving at the dam remained high. It said the discharge therefore had to be increased to keep river levels at manageable levels and reduce the risk to upstream areas.
In the Pasak River basin, the Pasak Chonlasit Reservoir was storing about 957 million cubic metres, or 110% of its designed capacity, while the dam was discharging 500m³/s.
The RID said 675m³/s of water was flowing through Rama 6 Dam in Ayutthaya and this was likely to increase. It advised people living along the Pasak River in Tha Rua district to prepare for rising water levels.
The Pasak River merges with the Chao Phraya River before flowing downstream into Sam Khok district of Pathum Thani and Bangkok.
The RID said the flow rate would be capped at 3,600m³/s, which would not affect Bangkok. However, people would be alerted if the water level upstream rises.
Main photo: Ongkharak district, October 4
