The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM), and Philippine Air Force (PAF) have completed a month-long cloud seeding operation over the Magat Reservoir and Watershed in Isabela to boost water inflows amid the effects of El Niño.

The operation, which ended on 26 August, involved 30 flight hours and was funded through the Department of Agriculture’s National Rice Program.

NIA said the operation contributed to a rise in Magat Dam’s water level, which reached 178.50 meters above sea level (masl) on 26 August, up from 159.76 masl on July 16—the lowest level recorded at the dam this year.

The dam’s historical low of 149.75 masl was recorded on 28 March 2010.

The higher reservoir level has increased the dam’s capacity to support irrigation operations in Isabela and nearby provinces.

NIA said inflows were also boosted by rainfall from tropical cyclones that affected the country in August, as well as the southwest monsoon.

NIA Administrator Engr. Eddie G. Guillen credited the participating government agencies for the operation’s outcome and thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for supporting programs aimed at addressing the agriculture sector’s needs.

DA-BSWM OIC Director Denise A. Solano described cloud seeding as a quick response to the drought brought by El Niño, rather than a long-term solution.

Solano said the coordinated efforts of NIA, DA Regional Field Office 2, PAF and DA-BSWM increased reservoir inflows, helped stabilize water levels and maintained the required outflow for dam operations.

Philippine Air Force Major Yusop C. Tang said the cloud seeding operations helped raise Magat Dam’s water level by at least 15 meters.

Tang said favorable weather conditions, including the southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical cyclones that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility in July and August, helped facilitate the operations.

He also credited the aircrew and pilots from Fliteline Airways for ensuring operational safety and maintaining the airworthiness of the aircraft used in the sorties.

The completion of the Magat operation is part of the government’s efforts to mitigate drought, protect agricultural livelihoods and secure irrigation supplies amid El Niño.

Additional cloud seeding operations are planned for other regions and reservoirs, including Pantabangan Dam, as government agencies continue efforts to maintain water supplies for farmers.