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<br />cultural needs of groups of farms and small irrigation districts. There <br />are very limited opportunities for new major impoundment projects due to <br />siting, population resettlement and environmental constraints. Fig. 1-2 <br />shows the principal drainage basins in Thailand and table 1-2 presents <br />regional surface water values revealing the sources. <br /> <br />Table 1-2. Amount of surface water by source, Kingdom of Thailand (millions <br /> of cubic meters). <br /> Natural <br />Area River Volume Reservoir Storage Total <br />Northeast 26,600 6,200 200 33,000 <br />North 23,200 44,700 30 67,930 <br />East 29,700 18,800 200 48,700 <br />Central 3,700 4,300 0 8,000 <br />South 6,800 6,700 50 13,550 <br />Total .90,000 80,700 480 171,180 <br /> <br />The nation's major basin is the Chao Phraya which covers 35 percent of <br />Thailand (178,000 km2) including most of the north and central areas <br />(30,300 MCM annually). The other major river basins are the Mae Klong <br />(13,400 MCM), the Mun (28,600 MCM), the Tapi (11,000 MCM), and the <br />Mekong (5,500 MCM). <br /> <br />c. The Need for Additional Water in Thailand <br /> <br />The needs for water in a largely humid tropical clilnate, which has as its <br />lowest annual rainfall 1000 mm (40 inches), relate to a mixture of human <br />and physical factors. Rapid growth in water use accompanied by decreasing <br />water quality are key human influences, and the larlge variability in rain- <br />fall in time and space, coupled with excessive evaporation are critical <br />climatic factors. Other physical factors affecting water need include the <br />4- to 5-month dry season and the presence of porous sandy soils or heavy <br />soils over 30 percent of Thailand. ' <br /> <br />Thailand has a progressive agricultural system and ia functional water mana- <br />gement system, but the growing need for water appears most heavily related <br />to the needs of an expanding population (106 percent per year) and Thai <br />economy, which needs more water to meet its expandilng agricultural and <br />energy demands. Since Thailand is heavily dependent on surface water <br />supplies to meet its demands, water pollution due to agricultural, <br />industrial, and human waste is also a growing probl,em. Large quantities of <br />surface water must be used to help address water quality problems in some <br />major river and irrigation systems. <br /> <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />8 <br />