Chiang Rai’s Mae Suai Dam at Record Low Levels

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CHIANG RAI – The drought situation in Chiang Rai has caused the water volume in the province’s Mae Suai Dam to drop to 3.5 million cubic meters, or only 3 percent of the reservoir’s capacity.

The dam, which usually releases 10.58 cubic meters of water per second to over 148,000 Rai of farmland in the districts of Mae Lao, Phan, Wiang Chai and Muang Chiang Rai, has now reduced its water output to only 0.38 cubic meters per second.

The amount is only adequate to sustain 1,000 Rai of farmland until the end of February. Afterwards, the dam will stop releasing water and will allow farmers to fish in the small amount of water that will be left in the dam.

By Jettana Pantana