BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (PIA) – The ongoing rainfall has boosted the water level in the Magat Dam reservoir in Ramon, Isabela, ensuring sufficient water supply for farmers in the Cagayan Valley Region during this cropping season.
Engineer Gileu Michael Dimoloy, manager of the National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MARIIS), reported that the current water elevation of the facility is 184.36 meters, exceeding the critical low level of 176.8 meters.
“Our spilling level is at 190.00 meters, and we are managing the dam’s outflow to maintain a manageable water volume. With the present dam level, our farmers are assured of enough irrigation supply,” he said.
The Magat Dam, over 40 years old, serves as a major source of irrigation for approximately 96,000 hectares of farmlands in Isabela, the country’s leading corn and rice producer.
The facility experienced its all-time low water level of 171.97 meters last summer due to the El Niño phenomenon.
Dimoloy explained that they closed the reservoir’s water outflow from March 15 to May 6 to conserve water for the upcoming planting season. (OTB/BME/PIA NVizcaya)
