CABANATUAN CITY – Farmers within the service area of the National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-UPRIIS) particularly in tail-ends, were urged to plant rice earlier than usual for dry crop 2020 owing to slightly lower water elevation of Pantabangan Dam.
In an advisory, UPRIIS explained that “dryland or semi dryland preparation” saves up to 40 percent of water.
It also advised farmers to put up seedbeds two weeks before wetting and preparing the land or practice broadcasting or “sabog-tanim.”
Engr. Rosalinda Bote, UPRIIS department manager, said they expected Pantabangan Dam elevation to reach at 210 meters above sea level by Oct. 31 but it happened only a week later.
On the same date of last year, she said, the water level of Pantabangan was at 217 masl.
Under this situation, UPRIIS has now closed its gates to restore more water and instead utilizes local flows, especially those of Atate Dam in Palayan City and Peñaranda Dam for some portions of Division 3 and 4, respectively.
“Ngayon mayroon kaming two division na may nag-eearly dry crop na sila katulad ng sa Division 3 na may 3,000 hectares na,” she said, adding Pantabangan is at filling up mode at present.
UPRIIS has six divisions including an interim one. The regular water delivery of UPRIIS per schedule starts on Dec. 1. According to its program, UPRIIS will irrigate a total of 128,014.53 hectares this dry crop.
