Srinagarind Dam Joins Local People to Cope with Drought (10/5/2016)

Thailand is experiencing the worst drought in decades. Srinagarind Dam in Kanchanaburi province is joining hands with local residents and organizations in building check dams to help ease drought conditions.

Director of the Srinagarind Dam Weerasak Srikawi said that the drought crisis has caused hardships to a great number of people in Kanchanaburi, especially those in Si Sawat district. Many streams have gone dry and farmers have insufficient water for consumption and agriculture.

In order to handle the situation, he said, Srinagarind Dam is working with its local community networks in creating check dams, in response to the needs of local people. Before check dams have been built, a public forum was held to find out the demand of local people.

Situated on the Khwae Yai River basin in Si Sawat district, Srinagarind Dam is the first and largest multi-purpose dam under the Mae Klong River Basin Development Project. This multi-purpose dam provides a water supply for agriculture all year round and generates electricity annually.

It also serves as a fish breeding source for local residents to earn more income, and prevents saline water from damaging the area at the mouth of the Mae Klong River. Moreover, it helps ease the flooding situation along the Mae Klong River basin, as it can store a large volume of water during the rainy season.

Srinagarind Dam has also become one of famous tourist attractions in Kanchanaburi, and it welcomes more than 100,000 visitors each year. The dam is operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and plays a crucial role in hydropower generation and agricultural production.

The situation in Kanchanaburi is that it faces flash floods and even earthquakes at times. According to EGAT, Srinagarind Dam is equipped with a safety system enabling it to ride out earth tremors. The dams structural safety is also checked on a regular basis by technical experts and maintained in line with international standards.

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