Flood Risk Management in Hat Yai, Thailand

By: Royal Irrigation Department

The most rapid economic growth city, and the most populated urban area in Southern Thailand

One of Largest commercial and tourist city in the Southeast Asia region

The center of trades of the Southeast Asia

Location of Utaphao river basin and characteristic of the river basin.

High Frequency of Flood Risk

1833 1916 1942 1959 1961 1962 1966 1967 1969 1972 1973 1974 1976 1981 1983 1984 1988 2000 2003 2008 2009

Floods occur almost every year !!! Big floods 1973 1983 1,000 Million THB 2000 massive losses

Hat Yai had been under a series threats of floods for many years:

http://thailandwanderer.blogspot.com/2009/12/hatyai-great-flood-in-year-25432000.html

http://thailandwanderer.blogspot.com/2009/12/hatyai-great-flood-in-year-25432000.html

Flood Mitigation of Utaphao river basin and Hat Yai city

1. Structural measures • Improvement of natural water drainage system, natural

canal extension to improve drainage efficiency of canal for a distance of 46.90 km.

• Flash flood drainage management, main drainage system work including a water gate to transfer water from Utaphao canal to Songkhla lake (length 21.343 km).

• A water diversion canal (length 26 km) and water gate will drain water from Utapho canal outside Hat Yai town and relief flood in lower Utaphao canal.

• A diversion canal was built to discharge excess flow directly to the sea.

• Construction of embankments, improvement of drainage canals

• Reservoir area improvement• Reservoir area water way construction• Provision of drainage pumps.

Flood Mitigation of Utaphao river basin and Hat Yai city

flood gate

Songkla lake

Rama 1 Flood canal

Rama 4 Flood canal

Rama 3 Flood canal

Rama 5 Flood canal

Rama 6 Flood canal

Hat Yai city

Utapao flood gate

Kh

lon

g U

tap

ha

o

Natural canal

Flood diversion canal

Diversion sub-canal

Diversion canal Flood gate in main canal

Flood gate in sub-canal

2. Nonstructural measures

• Monitoring the climatic and hydrologic situation of the Utaphao River using information from Thai as well as foreign meteorology websites.

• Water situation prediction and mitigation consist of climate, rainfall, discharge, water level monitoring in reservoirs, rivers and typhoon.

• Water management in the watershed to indicate mitigation and flood warning level.

• Public warning for advance flood preparation to relief damage of prosperities and lives.

• Water analysis center at Songkhla Irrigation project.

High Potential of Observations and monitoring

Meteorology: TMD1.Doppler Radar2.Regional Met. Center to be a major department to closely monitor &/ give essential advices/ warnings3.Dense observation networks, accessible satellite data, and 4. Numerical Precipitation prediction Model (NWP/ WRF)

Telemetering network & Radar coverage

Utaphao river basin Telemetry System

• Real-time telemetry in Utaphao river basin consists of one main station and 13 field stations.

• It measures rainfall and discharge every 15 minutes.

• Data are sent via a VHF radio network to the main station for data analysis and flood prediction.

• Flood warning is provided 9 to 16 hours in advance.

• The efficiency of the telemetry system will be increased when we add a GPRS system and 5 more field stations.

Malaysia

Remote station

Master station

river

Hat Yai city

Telemetry System in Utaphao river basin

Flood forecasting and warning system

• FloodWork Server was located at the Royal Irrigation Department Southern Regional HQ in Hat Yai.

• This server was linked to a telemetry computer which receives all of the latest observed hydrological and hydraulic data from the Utaphao basin.

• Automated forecast simulations were set up, so that forecast simulations are carried out at regular intervals, ideally just after the telemetry system has been set up.

• Series of client computers, connected via leased line network connections to the main flood forecesting server, were set up to display the results of the flood forecast simulations

Flood forecasting system for the Utaphao River Basin using the Floodworks software (MWH Soft)

Flood forecasting by water level (state correlation)

• Flood forecast and warning in Hat Yai town using discharge data collected at different points along the Utaphao Canal can provide flood warning in advance of 20 to 21 hours. The flood routing period is variable, according to discharge in Utaphao canal. We developed statistical relationships between the flood peaks of two hydrological stations upstream of Hat Yai city and used the relationship to predict floods in the city.

• The two stations include X.173A (37 km above Hat Yai town) and X.90 (14 km. above Hat Yai town).

Khlong Utaphao

Utaphao flood gate

Ban Bangsala

Ban Muangkog

23 km.

12 km.

17.85 m.

16.90 m.

15.60 m.

7 hr.

12 hr.

18-19 hr.

9.51 m.

8.87 m.

8.00 m.

Flood forecasting by water level (state correlation)

State relationship between X.173A station, X.90 station and Khlong Utaphao gate

X.173A station

X.90 station

Utaphao flood gate

23 km.

12 km.

12 hr.

3 hr.

+16.90 m. 213.00 m3/s

+8.87 m. 441.00 m3/s

Q Rama1 = 220 m3/s

Q = 400 m3/s

Q = 620 m3/s

Closely monitor

State relationship between X.173A station, X.90 station and Khlong Utaphao gate

X.173A station

X.90 station

Utaphao flood gate

23 km.

12 km.

7 hr.

2 hr.

+17.85 m. 346.00 m3/s

+9.51 m. 774.00 m3/s

Q Rama1 = 465 m3/s

Q = 465 m3/s

Q = 930 m3/s

Flood warning

17 Pumping station in upper Utaphao river basin

Water management by pump setting

Assistance/ support needed in UFRM

• 1. Expertise in QPE/ QPF development and improvement

• 2. Technology/ expertise in Flood Modeling improvement and inundation flood map

Guidances & technical supports:

Conclusion: ## To reduce losses of lives and economy

due to floods in city,…… urban flooding management strategy from meteorological aspect needed to be formulated and implemented properly.

## The disastrous impacts can be managed

………….by suitably implementing flood management measures, with collaborative efforts of all sectors of the whole community.

## Hat Yai is ready to participate in the Pilot City in the UFRM program of Typhoon Committee

Aerial view of cars and trucks at higher ground along the bridge flyover

http://thailandwanderer.blogspot.com/2009/12/hatyai-great-flood-in-year-25432000.html