Assessment of water transport potential in the Lam Phra Phloeng River using HEC RAS

Abstract

Nowadays, many areas in Thailand face flood and drought problems. The study of the transport potential of the major rivers is therefore important for increasing the efficiency of water resource management, for reducing the damage from flooding and for knowing the potential of water transportation to agricultural area. The objective of this study is to evaluate the water transport potential in the Lam Phra Phloeng River using the HEC RAS model. The Lam Phra Phloeng River has the potential to transport water 56.43 – 667.80 cubic meters per second or average 222.11 cubic meters per second.  In flooding case, the Lam Phra Phloeng River can drain flooding on a 100-year return periods. It has the potential to drain well throughout the Lam Phra Phloeng River but there are only 7 cross-sections from 32 cross-sections which can drain water below the 100-year return periods. The average flow rate that can handle the amount of flooding at return periods 2 5 10 25 and 50 years are 55.88, 124.95, 156.61, 189.82, 211.89 cubic meters per second, respectively. Overall, the drainage of the Lam Phra Phloeng River can drain well in the middle and the downstream of the river.  There are only 5 sections at kilometers 20+535 and from kilometers 81 + 107 to 89 + 894 that should be considered to increase water drainage potential.