DA explores floodwater rerouting to farmlands

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is mulling on a project that would redirect floodwater to farmlands instead of the sea to improve agricultural production and irrigation.

In a statement, DA Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro stressed that the plan is another take on the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) approach to divert floodwater to the sea.

“The mindset of DPWH is to take out the water that will flood the area in the sea. The problem with agriculture is that we would like to have the water in the land to be used for planting,” Navarro said.

He also cited that the country receives approximately 2.6 meters of rainfall every year and stressed that they are eyeing to construct a peripheral canal just like Thailand and Vietnam.

“That’s a lot of water. The problem is that if we are doing flood control, we are not considering our production area,” Navarro said.

Among the agencies expected to cooperate in this project are the DPWH, National Irrigation Administration, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government and Department of Environment and Natural Resource.

Navarro is optimistic a memorandum of agreement among the concerned agencies will be made before the end of the year.