P2.4-B Bulacan irrigation project ready by 2025

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is targeting to switch on a P2.44-billion irrigation project in Bulacan by 2025 which will provide additional water supply for growing agricultural crops.

The NIA is undertaking the development of the Bayabas Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Doña Remedios Trinidad town expected to be fully operational in two years, based on its filing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau.

The small irrigation system, according to the agency, would augment the water supply to the Angat Maasim River Irrigation System (Amris) through the existing Bustos Dam.

This would also irrigate about 150 hectares of arable lands and augment water supply to existing pump irrigation systems in the municipality.

“Considering the ever-increasing demand for domestic water supply in Metro Manila, and given that domestic water supply is afforded as higher priority, the search and development of additional water sources for Amris needs to be resolved,” it said.

Angat Dam, located in Norzagaray, also in Bulacan, is the primary source of water in Metro Manila and adjacent areas. It delivers about 90 percent of the metropolis’ water requirement for domestic consumption and irrigation.

With the decline in the dam’s water level in the past years, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) prioritized providing more water to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) through concessionaires Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc.

This intervention, however, was done at the expense of the NIA getting a reduction in allocation which, as a result, affects the extent of actual irrigated area in the AMRIS, particularly during the dry season.

“NIA being the proponent of the project, viewed a long-term possible solution by impounding to harness the water from Bayabas River for irrigation,” it added.

Situated in Barangay Tayabas, the Bayabas Small Reservoir Irrigation Project will be constructed across the Bayabas River, the potential water source for this project. This will cover a total land area of 27,921 hectares.

“The project will serve as a flood control structure since water will be released in a controlled basis since the flood water during heavy rains will be secured in the catchment basin,” the NIA said.

Its components include a reservoir with maximum water impounding volume of 53.137 million cubic meters at a maximum surface area of about 218 hectares, a spillway capable of discharging a probable maximum flood of 2,345.50 cubic meters per second and a diversion tunnel to divert river flow and flood flow.

Once the Bayabas Small Reservoir Irrigation Project is completed, it is expected to bolster rice and fish production.

According to NIA, Bulacan is predominantly an agricultural province despite massive land conversions, with palay (unhusked rice), corn, coconut, mango and banana are the top five crops being cultivated in the region.