ONWR to expand diversion scheme

The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) is looking to construct kaem ling water-catchment areas in Chiang Mai’s Mae Teang district to improve Srinakarin dam’s water diversion project. The move is part of a bid to solve the current drought crisis in the western province of Kanchanaburi.

“The kaem ling [monkey cheek] project facilitates water management to solve the drought crisis and it can be conducted in other areas with other water source developments, such as the water diversion project,” Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general of the ONWR, said on Thursday.

Five districts in Kanchanaburi are facing severe drought. In its first phase, the water diversion project at Srinakarin dam will pump water from the Khwae Yai River to feed replenish farmlands and residents. This will bring enough water to serve 78,500 rai of land,…