By PIA Bohol
Now clearly feeling the impact of the dry spell in Bohol’s farm areas, Governor Erico Aumentado insists that upgrding the Malinao Dam in Pilar town by doubling its water holding capacity would keep Bohol food production safe from droughts.
At the weekly Govenor’s Reports at the Mansion, the governor said upping Malinao Dam’s water holding capacity to 10 million cubic meters could add another 2,700 hectares of irrigated farmlands in Bohol’s five towns.
He said the Korean government has initially granted a $1M fund for the feasibility study and engineering design for the P800 million upgrading project.
The project woulkd entail raising the level of the dam capacity by a few feet, thereby enlarging its coverage areas.
The upgrade would effectively reach farmlands in Pilar, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Trinidad and Bien Unido, the last term governor told his listeners and the media.
At present, the Malinao dam has a maximum coverage of 4,720 hectares and another 2,700 could be expected after the upgrade project is completed.
The upgrade could also boost Malinao Dams calima s the biggest dam in
Bohol, with a total irration coverage capacity of 7,400 to 7,500 hectares.
Bohol has already proposed the P800 million upgrade for funding by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KoICA) of the Korean Government.
Other than Malinao, Bohol also has Capayas Dam in Ubay which can irrigate an estimated 4,100 hectares and Bayongan Dam in San Miguel town, which can irrigate 5,300 hectares.
All in all, the three Bohol dams can have a maximum irrigated lands capacity of 14,100 hectartes, however, due to some factors, only about 10,900 hectares has been served, NIA reports said.
Now suffering from receding water levels due to the dry season, NIA has recommended immediate cloud seeding operations, a move which also earned the governor’s support.
Over the development, Aumenatdo has accordingly told Membreve that e would immdiately convene the disaster council to make the necessary assessment. (PIA)
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