Bankok Post –
Water in the Mekong river in this northeastern border province is rising steadily, but the level is still very low compared to last year, local media reported.
After months of being at a critical level, the water level in the Mekong river has risen, thanks to an increase in the volume of rain starting last week.
The Mekong water level is currently about 4.30 metres high, or about 9m below the the spill-over point on the river bank. However, the level is still very low compared to last year. The average level of water in the Mekong river during the rainy season is 9-10 metres.
The irrigation office of Nakhon Phanom is still blocking water in the tributaries from flowing into the Mekong river in order to retain water for agriculture and consumption.
The low level of water in the Mekong has affected not only farmers, but also fishermen.
Lam Ngamnasri, 60, a fisherman in the Nam Songkhram stream, said the low level of water in the Mekong river has prevented fish from coming up to spawn in the tributaries – including Nam Songkhram – resulting in a much lower quantity of fish caught this year.