MikeLigalig.com

By Angeline Valencia
Bohol Chronicle

The Provincial Development Council Executive Committee (PDC-Execom) prefer to subject the concept of the proposed P7-billion Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 3 that includes a hydro power component to further deliberation and scrutiny by mayors and stakeholders.

National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-7 Regional Manager Modesto Membreve presented the Bohol Northeast Basin Multi- Purpose Dam for Irrigation and Hydro Power (Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 3) before the PDC-Execom last Friday to seek endorsement for its US$5-million feasibility study and detailed engineering design proposed for funding through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the KOICA or any other funding agency.

However, with the several concerns raised during the PDC-Execom meeting, Governor Edgar Chatto, as chair of PDC, will set another meeting solely intended to tackle the issues and a separate schedule for a site inspection to better assess the merits of the project.

The implementation cost of the project is estimated to reach US$ 177 million or a total cost of US$ 182 million or P7 billion including the feasibility study.

The project has been conceptualized by Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District) and Membreve took this move in an effort to maintain the rice self-sufficiency of Bohol and brace for increased demand of power supply in 10 years.

Aumentado said it is a Public-Private Partnership project, in consonance with the advocacy of President Benigno Aquino III, wherein NIA-7 will develop the irrigation component while Sun West Corporation takes charge of the hydro power facility.

Sun West Corporation was represented at the meeting by its president, Silvestre Natividad, and technical consultant, Michael Cañete.

After the feasibility study and drafting of the detailed engineering design, it would take at least 15 years to construct the multi-purpose dam, Aumentado added.

It is designed to "provide dependable irrigation water supply in the Northeastern part of Bohol and consequently to generate cheaper and renewable source of energy to augment the local electric power needs", he said.

Mayors Thomas Louis Gonzaga of Danao, Eutiquio Bernales of Ubay and Jacinto Narraga of San Isidro attended the PDC-Execom meeting at the Bohol Tropics to support the project.

It is proposed to be constructed in a public land in barangay Concepcion, Danao.

According to Membreve, the project will provide irrigation services for about 21,000 farmers cultivating 19,017.28 hectares of rice lands-1,353.95 hectares in Danao, 3,520.92 hectares in San Miguel, 5,945.59 hectares in Trinidad, 1,770.50 hectares in Dagohoy, 1,896.12 hectares in Bien Unido, and 4,530.20 hectares in Ubay.

Its main reservoir will be at Wahig River with four supplementary reservoirs and will be capable of storing 78.5 MCM backed up with a 52.5 square kilometers watershed, and 10-20 megawatts of hydroelectric power can be developed in the project, according to Membreve.

"It will be a zoned earth-fill dam. The main dam will be 100 meters in height and 1,200 meters in width. The four supplementary dams will have 60 meters average height and 400-meter average width. Its conduit will be a reinforced concrete barrel, and will have an Ungated Side Channel type of spillway," he added.

Its irrigation canal and structures include a main canal of 37.85 kilometers, laterals-185.50 km., drainage canal-15.60 km., canal structures-350 units, and an 8.95-km tunnel.

Membreve said that initial investigations conducted by NIA-Region 7 Engineering and Operations Division found out that the "proposed project is technically feasible and economically viable. However, a more extensive and in-depth study should be taken to validate its feasibility". Thus, Membreve and Aumentado sought PDC endorsement of the proposed conduct of a feasibility study and detailed engineering design of the project to be funded through a grant from KOICA.

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