Magat Dam nears critical level; DA launches P2.76M cloud seeding to save irrigation supply

Cagayan Valley – With the water level at Magat Dam nearing its minimum operating level, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to launch ₱2.76 million worth of cloud seeding operations over the Magat Watershed in a bid to boost rainfall and secure irrigation water for thousands of farmers across the Cagayan Valley.

The cloud seeding operations, to be conducted in coordination with the Philippine Air Force, are expected to begin this week and will continue until September, subject to the availability of seedable clouds.

According to Dr. Roberto Busania, Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension of DA Region 2, the intervention aims to increase water inflow into Magat Dam, ensuring a more stable irrigation supply while helping sustain the dam's hydropower generation.

The DA has allocated 30 flying hours for the operation, backed by an initial budget of ₱2.76 million.

Magat Dam water level continues to decline

As of 8:00 a.m. on July 22, the latest monitoring report from PAGASA showed that Magat Dam's reservoir water level stood at 162.25 meters above sea level—only 2.25 meters above its minimum operating level of 160 meters.

The declining water level has raised concerns over irrigation availability, especially as farmers prepare for the planting season.

What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique used to enhance rainfall by dispersing substances such as silver iodide or salt particles into suitable rain-bearing clouds. These particles encourage the formation of larger water droplets or ice crystals, increasing the likelihood that clouds will produce rain.

According to the Desert Research Institute, cloud seeding improves a cloud's ability to generate rain or snow by introducing tiny ice nuclei into certain types of subfreezing clouds. The process does not create clouds but instead enhances the rainfall potential of existing clouds.

Response to dry conditions

The planned cloud seeding comes as government agencies continue implementing measures to cushion the effects of prolonged dry weather in Northern Luzon.

During a press briefing on July 20, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro announced that the government has been distributing free fertilizer and seeds to farmers in the Cagayan Valley cultivating up to two hectares of farmland to help sustain agricultural production.

The latest intervention also follows earlier warnings over the possible impacts of Super El Niño on agriculture.

During the Provincial Management Committee Meeting on July 20, officials in Kalinga were informed that irrigation water shortages were already affecting parts of the Cagayan Valley, prompting the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-Kalinga to advise some farmers to temporarily suspend planting in areas with insufficient water supply.

The Magat Dam Irrigation System serves thousands of hectares of agricultural land in Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Cagayan, making adequate water storage critical to the region's food production.

Agriculture officials expressed hope that the cloud seeding operations will generate sufficient rainfall to improve the reservoir level and provide much-needed relief to farmers facing the threat of water shortages during the cropping season.