ILOILO City – To ensure reliable water supply for the upcoming planting season, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Western Visayas has implemented the annual closure of 15 major river irrigation systems (RIS) and dams across the region for much-needed repair and maintenance work.
The shutdown, which began on March 15, is scheduled to last until May 1 — just in time for farmers to prepare their fields for the first cropping season that typically starts in May or June.
Danielle Pijuan, public relations officer of NIA Region 6, emphasized that the maintenance operations, including desilting, canal clearing, and repairs of irrigation structures, are vital to restoring full water delivery capacity after months of silt accumulation and wear-and-tear.
“Our annual closure has proven effective. By the time we reopen the dams, the water flow is strong and unobstructed, the gates have been repaired, and overall delivery to farms becomes more efficient and reliable,” Pijuan told Panay News.
She noted that the timing of the dam reopening aligns well with farmers’ usual land preparation activities for the first cropping cycle.
“Opening the irrigation systems in May ensures that farmers have access to sufficient water for plowing and planting,” she explained.
The region operates mainly on two cropping seasons — the first and second cropping — although Pijuan acknowledged that some farmers take the risk of attempting a third cropping.
However, she cautioned against this practice, citing the lack of water assurance and NIA-6’s non-endorsement of off-schedule planting.
“Some farmers gamble when they see leftover water in the canals toward the end of February, but we do not advise that because March is already the start of our closure period,” Pijuan added.
The 15 river irrigation systems and dams undergoing maintenance are:
Iloilo
* Suage River Irrigation System in Mina
* Sta. Barbara Diversion Dam in Santa Barbara
* Aganan River Irrigation System Dam in San Miguel
* Barotac Viejo River Irrigation System Dam in Barotac Viejo
* Jalaur River Irrigation System Diversion Dam in Leon
* Sibalom River Irrigation System in Leon
Antique
* Tipuluan Dam in Sibalom
* Solong Dam in Sibalom
* Nasuli Dam in San Remigio
Aklan:
* Aklan River Irrigation System East in Banga
* Aklan River Irrigation System West in Malinao
* Panakuyan River Irrigation System in Ibajay
Capiz
* Mambusao River Irrigation System Dam in Mambusao
Negros Occidental
* Bago River Irrigation System Dam in Murcia
* Pangiplan River Irrigation System Dam in Himamaylan City
Pijuan expressed gratitude to the farmers for their continued cooperation in following the irrigation schedule and advised them not to rush planting during the extreme summer heat, as water availability and field conditions are not yet optimal.
“It’s risky for farmers to start planting too early. We appeal to them to stick to the official irrigation opening schedules based on their location and assigned irrigation system,” Pijuan stressed.
Data from NIA-6 shows that the 15 irrigation systems collectively service approximately 41,134.72 hectares of farmland, benefiting around 37,000 farmers across the region./PN
