Chiang mai: The Chiang Mai Provincial Irrigation Department has announced that the region's water storage is sufficient to handle this year's drought, though they remain cautious about the possibility of rain bombs leading to flash floods and landslides. Meanwhile, the Nan River's water level has significantly decreased, stranding numerous houseboats along its banks.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Kueakool Manasampansakul, Director of the Chiang Mai Irrigation Project, reported that despite Chiang Mai receiving an estimated 30% less rainfall than the average this year, the province's 15 large and medium-sized reservoirs are maintaining an average water storage capacity exceeding 65%. This marks a substantial improvement compared to the drought crisis of 2016. For instance, the Mae Ngat Somboonchon Dam, which was at just 13% capacity a decade ago, currently holds over 183 million cubic meters of water, amounting to 69% of its capacity. Similarly, the Mae Kuang Udomthara Dam has increased its capacity to 67%, holding over 176 million cubic meters of water.
The collective water storage in 13 medium-sized reservoirs across Chiang Mai province surpasses 70 million cubic meters, ensuring a sufficient water supply. However, the unpredictability of weather patterns remains a concern. Given that over 80% of Chiang Mai's terrain is mountainous, heavy rainstorms could still occur in certain areas, raising the risk of flash floods and landslides even with reduced rainfall averages.
In non-irrigated agricultural regions, this year's rainy season has provided adequate rainfall for crop cultivation. Nonetheless, looking ahead to late 2026 to mid-2027, Thailand is expected to face greater challenges from El Ni±o, resulting in more severe drought conditions. Farmers in these areas might need to adjust their planting schedules for off-season crops, bringing them forward to make use of late-season rains, or switch to short-cycle, water-efficient crops. If rice cultivation remains necessary, alternating wet and dry planting methods may be considered to conserve water. It is crucial for farmers to stay informed through their local agricultural office to minimize potential crop damage from drought early next year.
In contrast, the Nan River is experiencing critically low water levels, particularly in Phitsanulok Province, due to reduced water discharges from major dams like the Sirikit Dam and the Kwaenoi Bamrungdan Dam since mid-June. This reduction has left many houseboats stranded on the riverbanks.
This morning, the water level at the Royal Irrigation Department's N5A monitoring station at Saphankanlaya Bridge measured at 1.13 meters, the lowest recorded this month. Reports from the riverbanks near the floating house community close to Wat Chan Tawantok revealed that numerous floating houses remain beached. Some residents managed to move their houseboats deeper into the river by loosening their ropes in time, avoiding the fate of being stranded.
One houseboat resident shared that the water level dropped swiftly from 2-3 meters to slightly over 1 meter, preventing many houseboats from adjusting their ropes in time and causing them to run aground. The community now hopes for a rise in water levels to refloat their houseboats, as many occupants are elderly and unable to manage the situation unaided.