Shrinking Pattaya Reservoirs

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

1 hour ago, awesum4 said:

Hopefully the rains will come and the reservoirs refill before I come over in July.

When I was in Buriram last August the farmers I spoke to were complaining how dry the wet season was. Hopefully 2020 will be back to normal.

I was reading that the monsoon season is June through October with the peak in September. How much rainfall can be expected between now and June?

[jacko 8,822]

1 hour ago, midlifecrisis said:

I was reading that the monsoon season is June through October with the peak in September. How much rainfall can be expected between now and June?

Not too much....Songkran is a festival supposedly marking the end of the hot season, and rains can be expected. Expecting rain seems a forlorn enterprise around the world these days with many countries staying dry. We might expect 200mm for Mar,Apr and May. 

[forcebwithu 4,858]

6 hours ago, midlifecrisis said:

I was reading that the monsoon season is June through October with the peak in September. How much rainfall can be expected between now and June?

source: https://www.weather-th.com/en/thailand/pattaya-climate

[awesum4 2,333]

4 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

source: https://www.weather-th.com/en/thailand/pattaya-climate

Looks like it should actually be May until October.

[forcebwithu 4,858]

Today's update on the shrinking Mabprachan Reservoir. As before, here's the Google Earth view of today's route and picture taking spots.

Pic 01: Not much movement, if any of the shoreline from the last update 12 days ago.

Pic 02: However definitely more land that was previously underwater is now exposed.

Pic 04

They now have a pump ready to pupmp water over a land bridge so the pumping station farther north has access to what's left of the main body of trapped water.

Guessing the water level is down another 1/2 meter from 12 days ago.

Pic 05: Won't be long before that spit of land in the distance becomes a land bridge all the way across the north end of the reservoir. On the left side of the pic you can see how the main body of water is now cutoff from the channel that leads to the pump station by another land bridge heading to the north. I don't know why they don't get an excavator in and cut a channel through rather than pumping the water over.

Pic 06: Since the channel into the pumping station is now on higher ground than the main body of water to the south, they had to build a retaining wall and now have to pump the water into the pond.

The gate was unlocked so had a peak at the pumps in the pumping station.

Pic 07

Pic 08

Pic 09: A few puddles of water left on the north end, but no way to get it to the pumping station.

Pic 10

Pic 11

Pic 12

Pic 13

Pic 14: If I had wanted to, I could have rode my mtn bike from this side of the reservoir over to the other side using the land bridge in the center of this pic.

Pic 15: Instead I rode out the spit of land a bit farther south. View to the north while standing on land that was underwater 12 days ago.

For comparison, pic 19 in the screenshot below was how far I could ride my bike out on 28 January.

Pic 16: The intake water line for the retention pond on the southwest corner of the reservoir is really having to extend out to get to the main body of water now.

Pic 17: I was told by someone that lives in the area this retention pond and pump house is used to supply water to the new Flowerland tourist trap. Probably in another month or so all the tourists will see for their entrance fee is a bunch of wilted flowers.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

That appears to be a very shallow body of water.

[forcebwithu 4,858]

Had a nice ride out to Huai Chak Nok Reservoir today. The water situation is looking pretty dire there too.

Google Earth view of the photo stops today. I've also noted the change in the water's edge since the last update on 28 December.

Pic 1

Pic 2

For comparison, pic from 28 December

Pic 3: Workers taking advantage of the low water levels to dig a channel into the shallow part of the reservoir. Should help in future draughts as they won't have to set up pumps to get the water from the shallow areas into the main body of water.

Pic 4

Pic 5

Pic 6: Interesting erosion lines and rock structures in the exposed lakebed.

Pic 7

Final pic is looking at the south end of the reservoir on the other side of the road.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

A good time to dig them deeper.

[biggles 509]

Thats what they said when it was low the last time, 15 Years ago!! . Never happened then either. 

[forcebwithu 4,858]

The Eastern Water Resources dept has finally gotten around to updating their Weekly Water Situation reports for February 7th & 14th. Consumption has slowed from 6 million cubic meters (MCM)/week to about 4 MCM/week. Storage volume as of 14 Feb was 67.5 MCM. Subtracting the minimum storage volume of 31.7 MCM leaves about 36 MCM of usable water, or about a 9 week supply at current consumption levels. That will get us to 17 April, far short of June that a recent PWA news report would have us believe.

 

[JONPAT 222]

The water probably will last longer if the tourist stay away from using so much. Coronavirus may have a silver lining.

[forcebwithu 4,858]

34 minutes ago, JONPAT said:

The water probably will last longer if the tourist stay away from using so much. Coronavirus may have a silver lining.

Think that's why we've seen a drop from 6 MCM to 4 MCM per week consumption. Even at the lower consumption rate it doesn't bode well.

The only PWA announcement I've read as to water conservation efforts is a reduction in water pressure. But I now know for a fact they're also turning off the water during the day as that is what has been happening at my house, and others in our neighborhood for at least a week. I see that as a good thing, but I wish they would have announced they were doing that so we could plan to limit our day time use. My guess as to why they haven't, don't want to scare off the tourists that things aren't looking so rosey with the water situation.

[jacko 8,822]

12 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

But I now know for a fact they're also turning off the water during the day as that is what has been happening at my house, and others in our neighborhood for at least a week

Interesting. I asked at an MP on Sunday and was told they had not lost water, yet,  I knew some areas had been suffering water cuts. I do have this fear that they will blithely continue until the last drop, or that priority will be given to tourist and commercial areas and private households will run dry.

A number of years ago I recall water shortages in my old house, and tankers were roaming the streets offering to fill up domestic tanks... they had made arrangements for the water to be cut the night before and money obviously changed hands.

 

 

[forcebwithu 4,858]

4 hours ago, jacko said:

Interesting. I asked at an MP on Sunday and was told they had not lost water, yet,  I knew some areas had been suffering water cuts. I do have this fear that they will blithely continue until the last drop, or that priority will be given to tourist and commercial areas and private households will run dry.

A number of years ago I recall water shortages in my old house, and tankers were roaming the streets offering to fill up domestic tanks... they had made arrangements for the water to be cut the night before and money obviously changed hands.

They may not even be aware of when the water is cut to their place if they have a large enough tank. Same at my house. The tank that gets filled from the city supply is underground and has a 2m x 2m, heavy metal access lid over the top. I decided last week to prop the lid open so I could periodically check when city water was flowing into the tank. It was only then that I could tell the water was cut during the day, but turned back on in the evening. 

[jacko 8,822]

3 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

They may not even be aware of when the water is cut to their place if they have a large enough tank. Same at my house. The tank that gets filled from the city supply is underground and has a 2m x 2m, heavy metal access lid over the top. I decided last week to prop the lid open so I could periodically check when city water was flowing into the tank. It was only then that I could tell the water was cut during the day, but turned back on in the evening. 

Haha, you are as nerdy as me!  I have an above ground tank and  have fitted the option to bypass around the tank  and pump for when the electric is off and the pump can't work. I have also put a pressure gauge on the utility line so I can see at a glance when I have incoming water. 

The MP may well have a tank somewhere, but the rest of the pipes are a complete dog's dinner!

[forcebwithu 4,858]

43 minutes ago, jacko said:

Haha, you are as nerdy as me!  I have an above ground tank and  have fitted the option to bypass around the tank  and pump for when the electric is off and the pump can't work. I have also put a pressure gauge on the utility line so I can see at a glance when I have incoming water. 

The MP may well have a tank somewhere, but the rest of the pipes are a complete dog's dinner!

I put in another 1,000L tank about six weeks ago to collect rainwater to be used for watering the garden. In the early morning hours today was the first time I got to test the system. Collected about 150L from the brief downpour. Not bad considering how quickly the storm passed through Pattaya.

[forcebwithu 4,858]

Now we know where the water trucks are getting their clean water. My neighbor is selling his swimming pool water. 

[jacko 8,822]

On 2/18/2020 at 12:26 PM, forcebwithu said:

I put in another 1,000L tank about six weeks ago to collect rainwater to be used for watering the garden. In the early morning hours today was the first time I got to test the system. Collected about 150L from the brief downpour. Not bad considering how quickly the storm passed through Pattaya.

I was in the Hungry Hippo last night and as I sat there a tanker arrived and they ran a pipe through the dining area to supply water. I am sure I heard the manager/owner say he had not had water for a month. 

[forcebwithu 4,858]

Slow pipes leave Pattaya water trucks awash in business

With water pressure running low in many areas, water suppliers are awash in business in Pattaya.

Earlier facing the threat of the worst water shortage Pattaya has seen in five years, the Provincial Waterworks Authority last year cut water pressure in some areas by as much as 20 percent. That means water runs more slowly and sometimes even stops, most recently last week.

In South Pattaya and along Thepprasit Road water trucks have been doing good business, selling water for 10-13 baht a liter.

One driver said he normally does three or four deliveries a day but is now doing as many as 10.

His biggest customers, he said, are condominiums, apartments and private homes.

Water levels in the nearby Chaknok and Mabprachan reservoirs have dropped significantly, with underwater plant life now peeking above the surface in some places.

PWA Pattaya Manager Suthat Nutchpan said people should not normally experience water outages. If they occur it’s because of a line break somewhere.

He also reassured residents that there is enough water through at least June, but still encouraged people to conserve.

[forcebwithu 4,858]

Time for the bi-weekly update of the shrinking Mabprachan Reservoir. As before, for reference purposes a screenshot of where the pics were taken.

Water Edge as of 23 Feb, 2020

Pic 01: Quite a few more tree stumps exposed.

Pic 02

Only a small gap now in the land bridge.

Pic 03: Estimate another 1/2m drop in the water level. Probably the last time I can use this spot as a water level gauge since it looks like in another week there'll be dry land around the structure.

Water Edge as of 23 Feb, 2020

Pic 04: Innovative use of a boat's pontoon for a bridge.

Pic 05: Pumps moving water from the main body to the channel leading to the pumping station.

Pic 06: Thai's manning the pumps were quite helpful directing me under the outflow pipes to make my way across the land bridge.

Pic 07

Pic 08: The gap in the land bridge looks a bit too deep to cross.

Pic 18: And indeed it was too deep. When I was on the other side of the reservoir noticed a couple of guys crossing the gap. Both were in over their heads and had to swim to the other side.

Pic 09: With most of the reservoir dried up decided to take a shortcut across what was previously lake bottom to the pumping station. Looking back towards the pumps. Area to the right is the wide mouth to the channel leading to the pumping station.

Noticed another group on mtn bikes making their way across the land bridge.

Pic 10: Two weeks ago they had an earth retaining wall around the pumping station and were pumping water from the channel into the small pond it contained. They must have dug the channel deeper as now the pumps are gone and the retaining wall is open on both ends.

It was a mistake trying to cross the narrow bit in the above pic. Took a tentative step into the wet area and immediately sunk to mid-calf. Decided I might as well continue on and fortunately I didn't sink any deeper.

Pic 11: Nice of them to leave the pumping station gate unlocked again for me.

Pic 12: Looks like these guys have started a fish farm. Doesn't look like much change in the water level in this area from two weeks ago. Maybe looking at the top of the water table, in which case as long as they don't bring pumps in, they should continue to have water for their fish.

Pic 13

Pic 14

Pic 15

Pic 16

Pic 17

Pic 19

Pic 20

Pic 21: The pump house in the above pic is now drawing its water from a pipe that extends a long way out to the main body of water. They might be thinking of holding the pond in reserve for when the reservoir runs dry. As mentioned in a prior post, this water is being used for the tourist trap, Flower Land. Seems to me to be a pretty selfish use of a public use/need commodity that is fast becoming scarce.

Pic 22: A stark reminder of just how much the water level has dropped.

[Butch 3,456]

Great pics FBWU, thanks for taking the time to post them. It is pretty concerning given how it has dropped so much recently, there's probably a good few months of heavy rain needed to get it out of the danger zone.

Your rainwater system, is it basically intercepting one of the gutter downpipes on the house?.

[kuranda_bagman 135]

One would think this would be a perfect time to excavate large areas to allow for more storage when it finally rains but I don't see any work going on in your photos!

[forcebwithu 4,858]

7 hours ago, Butch said:

Great pics FBWU, thanks for taking the time to post them. It is pretty concerning given how it has dropped so much recently, there's probably a good few months of heavy rain needed to get it out of the danger zone.

Your rainwater system, is it basically intercepting one of the gutter downpipes on the house?.

Thanks.

The rainwater system catches rain from the downspout on one side of the house, which is the only side the owner installed gutters on. 

Even though it's only one side of the roof that I'm catching rain from, during normal rainy times it will be more than enough to keep the 1,000L tank topped up. The clear plastic tubing on side of the tank is my DIY water level measuring device.

The tank feeds into a cheap, 1450B water pump. I made a mistake by using screw in elbow joints to the pump. In order to align the elbow in the correct direction, I couldn't tighten them all the way. Even after using multiple wraps of teflon tape the screw ends still have small leaks. My next project is to replace the elbows with straight in screw connectors which I can tighten all the way to the stops, and then glue the elbow joints to those connectors.

[forcebwithu 4,858]

2 hours ago, kuranda_bagman said:

One would think this would be a perfect time to excavate large areas to allow for more storage when it finally rains but I don't see any work going on in your photos!

They might be waiting for the reservoir to run dry before starting that work. At the very least I would expect they'll take a close look of where the pockets of water are and dredge deeper channels to them. They'll then have full access to all the water without having to resort to pumps to get the water to the pumping station.

[biggles 509]

I was here in the last big water shortage many  years ago. They talked about doing it then, had lots of meetings, probably allocated a budget....... And did nothing. They did say a pipeline had been built and it would never happen again!!