Bangkok:The Royal Irrigation Department has adjusted the water discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam to 2,400 cubic meters per second. This decision was made as upstream water levels have been continuously declining.

According to Thai News Agency, The department is actively monitoring the water situation in the Chao Phraya River basin. A consistent decrease in water volume from upstream areas has been observed, leading to a reduction in the water flowing into the Chao Phraya River in Nakhon Sawan province. Consequently, the department is preparing to adjust the water discharge downstream of the dam to match current rainfall and water flow conditions.

As reported, the Ping River at station P.17 is flowing at 484 cubic meters per second, and the Nan River at station N.67 is flowing at 998 cubic meters per second, both showing a downward trend. This has reduced the total water flow at station C.2 in Nakhon Sawan province to 1,915 cubic meters per second. The Sakae Krang River at station Ct.19 in Uthai Thani province has a flow rate of 52 cubic meters per second.

The Chao Phraya Dam was initially releasing water at 2,500 cubic meters per second, with upstream water levels at +16.38 meters above mean sea level. As a response to decreasing upstream water volume, the department began reducing the release rate from 8:00 AM, decreasing it by approximately 20 cubic meters per second per hour, until it reached 2,400 cubic meters per second by 1:00 PM.

Additionally, the water intake into the irrigation systems on both the eastern and western sides has been reduced to 487 cubic meters per second from 564 cubic meters per second the previous day. This adjustment is aimed at achieving balanced water management throughout the system. The department will continue to monitor upstream rainfall and runoff and adjust water management strategies accordingly, while disseminating information to the public and relevant agencies.