KUCHING: Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) continues to monitor the water levels in major rivers throughout the state.
It is now readying for floods in view of the coming monsoon season.
The northeast monsoon is expected to start this month until March next year.
Its chairman Dr Murni Suhaili said the Board had instructed all SRB offices to ensure that their assets, especially boats in their respective areas, are in good condition and ready to be mobilised whenever needed.
“SRB currently has 22 boats in various locations throughout the state and we are always on standby to provide assistance if needed.
“SRB also continues to monitor the condition of water levels in major rivers throughout the state following the coming monsoon season,” he said.
Murni said this when conducting an inspection at Sungai Maong telemetry system site in Jalan Temenggong Datuk Tan Meng Chong and Barrage and Shiplock in Sejingkat in preparation for flash flood today.
He noted that 20 out of 22 telemetry systems throughout the state were operational while the other two had to halt operations due to Pan Borneo Highway construction project and land issues.
The telemetry system and barrage are utilised in the implementation of flood mitigation and are not tools to prevent the flash flood, he pointed out.
“The function of this system is to detect the level of rainwater that falls in the upper reaches of the Sarawak River and channel the information to the barrage. The information received will be used by the barrage management to decide whether to open or close the barrage gates.
“Monitoring this water level is important to enable the barrage management to drain water from the Sarawak River to the sea during low tide to increase its ability to hold the rate or amount of water flowing into the river from a nearby catchment area,” he explained.
He also said the barrage gates would open depending on the tide with a normal average of twice daily. However, the gates usually open thrice daily during rainy season, he added.
In carrying out flood mitigation, the barrage management will completely close all water gates during high tide to prevent sea water from entering the river which can cause the river water level to rise.
In good weather conditions, the water level of the Sarawak River is maintained at +7.5 metres only and will be reduced to a level of +7.0 metres if it rains heavily and continuously.
The process of lowering the water level of the Sarawak River will be done by opening all the water gates in the barrage during low tide or sea water level is lower than the water level in the river.
