Dry spell reduces dam’s water supply, irrigation service areas

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Water volume in the four major dams of Bohol had dropped significantly due to the El Niño phenomenon, resulting in the alarming reduction of areas served by the province’s irrigation systems.

National Irrigation Administration-7 official William Butron, who also heads the Bohol Integrated Irrigation System said the water volume in each of the dams—Malinao in Pilar town, Bayongan in San Miguel, Capayas in Ubay, and Talibon—are now low, thus reducing their irrigation service areas.

The size of the service areas of these dams are: 4,700 hectares for Malinao; 5,300 has. For Bayongan; 1,100 has. for Capayas; and 1,000 has. for Talibon.

Those at the tail-end portion of the irrigation canals could no longer be provided with water also, because the supply from these dams was no longer enough, Butron said, adding that sporadic rains may have raised the water in these dams somehow, but this would not address the problem.

Butron said NIA-7 had to suggest to the farmers to diversify by planting crops resistant to heat and have shorter period to grow, while the El Niño is still causing drought in the agricultural fields that PAGASA said may continue until next year.

Bohol is already among the drought-affected provinces in the Visayas, together with Negros Oriental, Siquijor and Southern Leyte.

Butron said the provincial government had planned cloud-seeding operations over El Niño-affected areas and the big dams to save rice lands from further destruction due to drought. —Ric V. Obedencio (FREEMAN)