Abstract:
In this study, the performance of the proposed Gam-Ling (Detention) Project in the poldered area on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River was investigated. The Gam-Ling (Detention) Project, as planned by the Royal Inigation Department (RID), consists of the Sanam Chai - Maha Chai canals and other interconnected canals as detention storages and a series of tide gates and pumping stations along the sea-facing polder for draining the detained water to the sea. The MIKE1 1 software package was used to test the performance of the Gam-Ling concept as the main flood mitigation component under several rainfall and tidal scenarios, including the historical event in October, 1995, which caused the most severe flooding in the study area, and the occurrences of the 2-, 5-, and 10-year return period maximum monthly rainfalls. For the October, 1995 event, it was shown by the results of the study that the flooding problems in the area could be eliminated by the inclusion of the Gam-Ling Project in addition to the existing drainage facilities in the area, in which only the regulation of the tide gates (with no pumping) was required to drain water. In this month, it was estimated that about 58 million cubic meters of the water ponded outside the top polder could be by-passed through the poldered area to drain to the sea. However, if the flooding in the study area was to be prevented when the draining of water into the Tha-Chin River was stopped in order to utilize the Gam-Ling directly, the channel improvement was needed in 24 canals (total 170 kilometers long) connecting the Pasi-Chareon canal and the Gam-Ling area. In this case, only the operation of tide gates was required with no pumping, and about 1 I2 million cubic meters per month of the ponded water outside could be by-passed to the sea. Under the assumed occurrence of the maximum monthly rainfall of 2-year return period (373 mdmouth) and the maximum tidal level during the month of study, the Gam-Ling detention storages together with channel improvements and tide gate operation and pumping could prevent the flooding in the area, and about 122 million cubic meters of outside ponded water could be by-passed. However, for the 5-, and 10-year maximum monthly rainfall events (501 and 693 mm/ mouth, respectively), it was found that the Gam-Ling project as planned with channel improvement, tide gates, and pumping to the maximum of the installed capacity could not prevent flooding in the study area during the month of study, in which the flooding was found to occur for some distance along both sides of the Pasi-Chareon canal. The construction of flood walls or the provision of temporary dikes along some part of the Pasi-Chareon canal to contain flood water was suggested as an appropriate remedial measure during flood the events.