Characteristics of the 2011 Chao Phraya River flood in Central Thailand
Daisuke Komori1, Shinichirou Nakamura2, Masashi Kiguchi1, Asako Nishijima3, Dai Yamazaki1,
Satoshi Suzuki1, Akiyuki Kawasaki1, Kazuo Oki1 and Taikan Oki1
1Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
2“Wisdom of Water” (Suntory) Corporate Sponsored Research Program Organization for Interdisciplinary Research Projects, The University of Tokyo, Japan
3Japan Weather Association, Japan
Hydrological Research Letters 6, 41–46 (2012)
Published online in J-STAGE (www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/HRL). DOI: 10.3178/HRL.6.41
Abstract:
A massive flood, the maximum ever recorded in Thailand, struck the Chao Phraya River in 2011. The total rainfall during the 2011 rainy season was 1,439 mm, which was 143% of the average rainy season rainfall during the period 1982–2002. Although the gigantic Bhumipol and Sirikit dams stored approximately 10 billion m3 by early October, the total flood volume was estimated to be 15 billion m3. This flood caused tremendous damage, including 813 dead nationwide, seven industrial estates, and 804 companies with inundation damage, and total losses estimated at 1.36 trillion baht (approximately 3.5 trillion yen).
The Chao Phraya River watershed has experienced many floods in the past, and floods on the same scale as the 2011 flood are expected to occur in the future. Therefore, to prepare of the next flood disaster, it is essential to understand the characteristics of the 2011 Chao Phraya River Flood.
This paper proposes countermeasures for preventing major flood damage in the future.
KEYWORDS the 2011 Chao Phraya River flood; the Chao Phraya River; record-high rainfall;
evaporation; gentle river gradient; the Bhumipol and Sirikit Dam reservoirs
