ALOR STAR: Kedah will optimise water reserve storage to brace for a longer dry spell next year based on the Long-term Weather Survey by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
State Public Works, Water Supply and Water Resources, Irrigation and Drainage, and Energy Committee chairman Mohamad Yusoff Zakaria said, based on the report, the rainfall between August and December is between 220mm and 330mm.
"To brace for the longer dry spell expected in 2025, all dams in Kedah will store water at maximum level to brace for the dry spell.
"The releasing of water from dams for domestic and agricultural irrigation will be done under proper control, based on needs," he said in the state assembly today.
Yusoff was responding to a question from Datuk Dr Hayati Othman (PN-Tokai).
He also informed the house that the cloud seeding operation led by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) for three days between July 29 and 31, had yielded positive results.
He said the Muda Dam water storage has increased from 1.15 million cubic metres to 3.05 million cubic metres.
Yusoff added that despite the recent dwindling water storage at the Muda, Pedu and Ahning dams due to a prolonged dry spell, the situation was considered as normal by the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada).
"Alhamdulillah, the water level is now increasing with the latest water reserves recorded at 15.7 per cent for Muda Dam, 34.29 per cent for Pedu Dam and 78.53 per cent for Ahning Dam.
"According to Mada's projection, the water storage is sufficient until the end of next March at 687 cubic metres, to irrigate padi fields for the first cultivation season in 2025," he said.
As for long term measures, Yusoff said the Kedah Water Resources Board (LSANK) has applied to the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry to build water storage facilities along riverbanks.
"We have identified 27 potential locations in the Sungai Muda basin for the proposed projects, and we have submitted four applications to the ministry under the 12th Malaysia Plan," he said.
He added that the board was proposing the development of more of these facilities along the Sungai Muda basin and low dams near river mouths to increase water storage under the 13th Malaysia Plan.