Rinconada Farmers Face P375M in Crop Losses

NAGA CITY, Feb. 23  - Some 15,400 farmers tilling 5,512 hectares of rice farms in five towns and one city in Camarines Sur stand to suffer P375 million in palay losses due to the limit imposed by the Buhi municipal government in the release of water for irrigation from Lake Buhi.

NIA Bicol Director William P. Ragodon said because of the meddling of the Buhi local government in the release of water from the NIA-owned Lake Buhi Control Structure, the palay crops in the towns of Bato, Nabua, Baao, Bula, Pili and Iriga City may end up damaged due to insufficient water.

Ragodon said the order of Buhi Mayor Rey Lacoste to NIA to stop releasing water from the lake below elevation 82.30 meters prompted the agency to rotate its water delivery to supply the water requirement of the 5,512 hectares of rice lands.

Ragodon, with leaders of irrigators associations, representatives of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), operator of the Barit Hydropower Plant, Buhi local officials and other water users of Lake Buhi, met to come up with measures in preparation for the El Nino phenomenon.

During the meeting, the mayor remained adamant that he will not allow the release of water from the lake below elevation 82.30 meters to safeguard the investment of his constituents who are engaged in tilapia culture inside the numerous fish cages and fish pens in the lake.

Lacoste said NIA has to make do with the lake's water between elevation 82.70 meters and 82.30 meters for its irrigation requirement.

The limit imposed by Lacoste is due to fear that lowering the water level in the lake below 82.30 meters would cause fish kill because the lake is already heavily silted.

On the other hand, NIA is barred from raising the water above elevation 82.70 meters because residents living on the lake shores complain of flooding.

The NIA constructed a control structure in Lake Buhi sometimes in the early 1980's under the Bicol River Basin Development Program to impound its water for irrigation and hydropower generation purposes.

The original design area to be irrigated by the lake's reservoir was over 7,100 hectares when its construction was completed.

Ragodon said he will ask the local government of Buhi to allow NIA to release water from elevation 82 meters instead of 82.30 meters.

"The three centimeters of water would be adequate to supply the needs of the rice lands until the harvest season in late March and early April," Ragodon said.

The NIA executive said should the local government refuse to grant his request, he will elevate the matter to National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to seek official remedy.

"We have priority right over fisheries in the use of the lake water as provided for by Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1067 or the Water Code of the Philippines," he said.

Rule I, Sec. 1 of the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of PD 1067 enumerates the order of appropriation and utilization of water in the country, thus domestic, municipal, irrigation, power generation, fisheries, livestock raising, industrial, recreational and other purposes.

Ragodon also urged the Buhi local government to regulate fish production in the lake to two crops per year or for a period of nine months only instead of the whole year.

He said the remaining three months, preferably during the summer months of February to April, should be declared as a "closed season," which would allow the environment to process and absorb all organic wastes and for the fish cage operators to repair and clean their pens.

Ragodon added this period when there is low water level would enable NIA to use the lake's water exclusively for irrigation.

This situation will be beneficial to the major users of the lake because NIA would be able to open its gates to a certain height to flush out the very thick silts on the reservoir's bed due to the artificial sedimentation brought about by unconsumed fish feeds and other wastes.

Based on NIA's estimate, siltation in the lake is already over three meters thick as a result of unregulated aquaculture there in the last 20 years. (PNA)