Cauayan City, Isabela (11 January) -- Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Director Andrew Villacorta fears that in the next two weeks the effect of El Nino might be felt in the region.

The DA official said that if rains will not fall in the watershed areas of Magat Dam there will be a big effect especially to rice farmers because the dam waters is nearing its low critical level.

"Corn farmers will also be affected if there will be no rains", Villacorta said.

Last year, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) made a forecast that El Nino phenomenon will be felt during the early months of 2010.

Villacorta said that his office has planned to mitigate the effects of El Nino through cloud seeding in coordination with the Philippine Air Force if El Nino phenomenon will continue to be experienced in the northern part of the country.

He urged farmer leaders to pray that El Nino will not greatly affect the planted rice in this cropping season.

Engr. Wilfredo Gloria, operations chief of the National Irrigation Administration - Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) said that the dam's water is nearing its low critical level since they monitored an inflow of only 19 cubic meters per second while releasing 62 cubic meters per second.

Engr. Gloria said that the dams's total impounded water as of press time registered at 175.2 meters and when it reaches the 160 to 150-meter level there will already be affected rice fields both in the high and lower dams' service areas.

"The effect of El Nino is already affecting the water level of the dam", Engr. Gloria said during his presentation in a dialogue with the Irrigators' Association leaders.