Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam

History

Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam

Nakhon Nayok Province is located in the Central Part which deems to be a major source of food production of the country. With its topography comprising narrow valley, slope area and vast plain, severe runoff occurs in the wet season and floods over the farms and houses, making damage extensively.

Such severe runoff will flood in the lowland, at the same time, slope area contains low water table, it cannot store the water. When erratic rainfall occurs and the drought follows, the soil is cracked and unable to do cultivation.

Problems occurring for a long period in Nakhon Nayok Basin: flood, drought and acid soil, affects the agriculture especially rice cultivation which is the main occupation of Nakhon Nayok people for ages and damages to economy of Nakhon Nayok tremendously.

Through the passing years, the solution has made by construction of irrigation system in several scales and types. However, these irrigation systems have not yet been adequate to eliminate the problem on “water” from Nakhon Nayok Basin absolutely.

This deems to be the royal compassion to Nakhon Nayok people starting from the King paid several visits to villagers and introduced royal initiatives to construct various water storage resources. When Nakhon Nayok Province expanded, existing water resources are not sufficient for nourishing the area in Nakhon Nayok Basin. Later, His Majesty gave an idea to construct a large scale storage dam in Nakhon Nayok Province.

4 December 1993 (B.E.2536), His Majesty the King conferred his initiative to the Royal Irrigation Department to do project planning and construction of Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam.

The Cabinet approved the implementation of Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam Project on 13 February 1996 (B.E.2539), the construction period during 1997 - 2003 (B.E.2540 - 2546), budget 10,193 million baht and approved environmental impact mitigation plan with budget of fiscal year 1997 - 2008 (B.E.2540 - 2551) with the budget of 990 million baht, the construction was commenced on 2 November 1999 (B.E.2542) and completed in December 2004 (B.E.2547) as well as started to store water in October 2005 (B.E.2548).

Khun Dan Prakanchon Dam will be a large scale water resources capable to store and allocate the water systematically to the agricultural area of 185,000 rai (29,600 ha), benefitting 9,000 households. When the flood and drought problem has been solved, the problem of acid soil will be finally reduced.

In addition, water from the Khun Dan Prakanchon reservoir is the raw water resource for water supply production. Releasing the water from the Dam helps push the salt water intrusion to the natural water resource. Moreover, it is a large scale fish breeding ground and fresh water fishery ground, an alternative to increase the villagers’ income.

Apart from the response to the water requirement for agricultural sector, Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam will be a new important tourist spot of Nakhon Nayok Province, it can attract the tourists to appreciate the greatness of the Dam and to do interesting recreational activities especially ecotourism such as trekking, sailing to Heo Narok Waterfall; and water sports close to the nature, such as sailboat, windsurfing, kayaking.

Besides, there is a museum of Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam for tourists to study and research the interesting history of water resources development and Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam. Although the construction of the Dam was completed as the objectives, tasks of the Royal Irrigation Department and concerned agencies have been carried out for people’s welfare continuously.

Thus, the order appointing the committee for promoting and development on the occupation of catchment area of Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam was issued, so as to respond His Majesty the King’s initiative on sustainable development of agriculture and villagers’ life quality.

At present, Khun Dan Prakarnchon Dam is tangibly successful. With royal benevolence and prestige conferred his initiative on water resources development of Nakhon Nayok Province together with cooperation and participation of concerned agencies both public and private sectors, all generates the prosperity and progress in living constantly.

Roller Compacted Concrete Dam (RCC) comprises :

Main dam RCC-B and secondary dam RCC-S

Dam height (maximum) 93 m

Total dam length 2,720 m

Crest width (widest) 8 m

Crest level +112 m (msl)

Total of dam volume 5.47 mcm

Saddle Dam: Earth Dam Height 46 m

Length 350 m Dam volume 1.22 mcm

Reservoir

Water retention level +110 m (msl)

Water storage 224 mcm