3 major dams’ water elevation at full

There is no reason forBoholano farmers not to plant rice even in the rain-fed areas this dry cropping season.

The province of Bohol has abundant water following the recently concluded cloud seeding operations (CSOs), low-pressure areas and tropical depression Usman.

According to Leon Parac, Jr. of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), Engr. Evelyn Putong of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA-7) informed the OPA that three of the four major dams in Bohol have full water elevation to wit; Malinao Dam in Pilar at 152 meters (ms.), Capayas in Ubay at 36.5 and Talibon Dam(30mins.).

However, the Bayongan Dam in San Miguel now has an actual water level of 30ms. against 36.5 ms. at full.

He said the water spillage from Malinao Dam has been diverted to Bayongan Dam to augment the supply of water for the service areas.

Parac who is the cloud seeding focal person reported that the 45 hours CSOs sponsored by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) had completed on December 22, 2018 bringing rains to several towns in Bohol.

With the PAG-ASA forecast of an El Niño phenomenon said to hit the country in the early part of this year, the El Niño and La Niña Task Force of the province have already prepared some mitigating measures to include the CSOs.

He said the P2.3M allocation approved by the PGBh for the 42 hours CSOs is now on the bidding process which could be conducted to lessen the impact if the dry spell would strike anew.

The province of Bohol has a rice area of 56, 913.21 hectares (has.) of which 32, 919.53 has. are rain-fed and 23,993.68 has. depends on irrigation facilities.(AtoyCosap)