Nam Phong Dam
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The Ubol Ratana Dam (pronounced: ''Ubon Rat''), formerly known as the "Phong Neeb Dam", is a multi-purpose dam in tambon Khok Sung,
Ubolratana district Ubolratana ( th, อุบลรัตน์, , ) is a district (''Districts of Thailand, amphoe'') of Khon Kaen province, northeastern Thailand. The district is named after Princess Ubol Ratana, the eldest child of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Hist ...
, approximately north of Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen province, Thailand. It was the first hydroelectric power project developed in Thailand's northeastern area of Isan. The dam impounds the Nam Phong, which flows into the Chi River and thence to the Mun River, a tributary of the Mekong River. The dam was given its current name by royal permission in 1966, in honour of princess Ubol Ratana, the eldest child of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.


Description

The dam is multi-purpose: electricity generation, irrigation, flood control, transportation, fisheries, and as tourist attraction. It is an earth core
rockfill dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, ...
, constructed in 1964. Its crest length is , and high. Its catchment area is . Its reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of . The dam is managed by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). Thirty thousand people were resettled to make way for the large reservoir accompanying the dam. This resettlement resulted in a sharp decrease in forested areas in the catchment areas and an increase in erosion. In 1984, the dam was modified to reinforce dam safety and to ensure better flood protection.


Power plant

The power plant at the dam has three turbines, each with an installed capacity of . The dam generates an average of a year. The operation of the turbines commenced on 4 February 1966, 14 March 1969, and 12 June 1968 respectively.


History

In April 2016 the dam ran dry for the first time since its construction. With no usable storage it cannot provide irrigation water, cannot generate electricity, and its fish population is dying. Its usable storage stands at minus 3.95 percent (as of (2016-04-04). Ubol Ratana Dam is the first of the royal dams to run dry. The other royal dams are: * Bhumibol Dam: opened in 1964 in the north on the Ping River. Capacity: 13,462,000,000 m3. * Sirindhorn Dam: opened in 1971 in the northeast on the Lam Dom Noi River. Capacity: 1,966,000,000 m3 * Chulabhorn Dam: opened in 1972 in the northeast on the Phrong River. Capacity: 165,000,000 m3 * Sirikit Dam: opened in 1974 in the north on the Nan River. Capacity: 9,510,000,000 m3 *
Srinagarind Dam The Srinagarind Dam (''also known as the'' Srinakarin Dam; th, เขื่อนศรีนครินทร์; ; ) is an embankment dam on the Khwae Yai River in Si Sawat District of Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. The purposes of the dam ...
: opened in 1980 in the west on the Khwae Yai River. Capacity: 17,745,000,000 m3 * Vajiralongkorn Dam: opened in 1984 in the west on the Khwae Noi River. Capacity: 8,100,000 m3 Due to the ongoing drought, the royal dams are heavily stressed. According to the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, as of 3 April 2016, sixteen Thai dams are at critically low levels of usable reservoir storage. Of the other royal dams, Bhumibol Dam is at four percent, Sirindhorn Dam is at 10 percent, Srinagarind Dam is at 11 percent, Sirikit Dam is at 12 percent, Chulabhorn Dam is at 13 percent, and Vajiralongkorn Dam is at 14 percent.


See also

* Mekong River Basin Hydropower * Mekong River Commission * Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand


References


External links

{{commons category, Ubol Ratana Dam
CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food-MekongThailand National Mekong CommitteeElectricity Generating Authority of ThailandMekong Program on Water, Environment and ResilienceMekong River Commission
Dams in the Mekong River Basin Dams in Thailand Hydroelectric power stations in Thailand Isan Dams completed in 1966 Energy infrastructure completed in 1966 Buildings and structures in Khon Kaen province 1966 establishments in Thailand Rock-filled dams