The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is aiming to irrigate 14,024 hectares of rice lands in its two service areas in Negros Occidental for 2026.
Data from the Negros Occidental Irrigation Management Office (NIA-NOIMO) as of Monday showed some 12,650 hectares cover the service area for the Bago River Irrigation System (BRIS) in Bago City and 1,373 hectares for the Pangiplan River Irrigation System (PRIS) in Himamaylan City.
The BRIS serves 8,014 farmer-beneficiaries organized into 44 irrigators’ associations (IAs) while the PRIS serves 1,443 farmer-beneficiaries from six IAs.
The NOIMO released the data as it issued the notice of the scheduled dam closure in its two service areas between March and June.
“All farmer-beneficiaries are strongly encouraged to strictly follow the approved water delivery and distribution (WDD) schedule by NIA and federation of IAs for Federation of Irrigators’ Association of Central Negros (FIACN)-BRIS and PRIS through its System Management Committee,” NOIMO Division Manager A Edna Señadoza said in a statement.
After the closure of the BRIS South District ended on April 30, the closure for the North District started on May 1 and will continue until June 15.
The BRIS North spans Murcia, Bacolod City and Bago City, while the South covers a portion of Bago City, La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Valladolid and San Enrique.
For the PRIS, total gate closure for District 2 was set from Feb. 16 to April 30, while for District 1 from April 1 to May 15 within the area of Himamaylan City and Binalbagan.
“This WDD schedule has been adopted and practices five crops in two years. The NIA-NOIMO strictly adheres to the approved WDD,” Señadoza said.
She said “the closure of gates to suspend water delivery is done to facilitate annual clean-up, desilting works, and minor repairs to the irrigation canal and structures”.
The NIA official said it also “allows soil to rest, eliminates pests’ cycles, and prepares for synchronized planting patterns to ensure efficient water delivery throughout the cropping year”. (PNA)
