Rains from cloud-seeding save ricefields But Malinao Dam still at critical low level

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The recent daily rainfall from the cloud seeding operations temporarily sufficed for the moisture requirement of ricefields for survival this season, but more of it is needed now to raise the water level of Malinao Dam above its critical mark.

The water brought by the rains over Malinao Dam during the cloud-seeding days was only enough to replace the amount of water released to rice lands, according to agriculture officials.

Larry Pamugas, OIC of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, however assured the farmers that the rain brought about by cloud seeding operations in the past week can already sustain the soil moisture requirement of the farmlands until the natural rain comes. 

Larger farmland, though, need more of the rainfall and are the ones suffering the impact of the rain-deficit period, he said.   

Some cracked ricefields in the towns of Carmen, Pilar and Sierra-Bullones were saved by the rainfall from the cloud-seeding operations, but there were areas in Sikatuna and other towns where the rainfall came too late to save the newly-planted rice seedlings.

Municipal agriculture officers in some towns however reported to Pamugas that the downpour the other weekend even resulted to flooding.

Leon Parac Jr., in-charge of the cloud seeding operation, reported that his team had conducted about ten rounds of cloud seeding operations already. For each trip, on board a Cessna plane for around one hour, they would carry 12 bags of artificial salt equivalent to 300 kilos, he said.

Parac said the cloud seeding operations will continue until the supply of artificial salt lasts and the 60-hour contract with the Cessna plane will be spent, and for as long as there are cumulunimbus clouds over the Bohol area.

The Department of Agriculture allocated about P2.5 million for the entire cloud seeding operation in the province.

Pamugas also said he was still waiting for reports from the MAOs who were issued hi-tech rain gauges as to the amount of rainfall accumulated during the cloud seedling operations. The province acquired at least 15 rain gauges that were distributed to the MAOs for efficient monitoring of rainfall, he added.