ILOILO – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) targets to complete all three dams of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multi-purpose Project (JRMP) Stage II in Calinog town by December this year.
JRMP II is NIA’s biggest irrigation development project in Region 6 to date. Its completion is projected to boost the country’s food security and address declining agricultural productivity.
NIA Region 6 confirmed yesterday that overall, the mega dam’s construction was already 65.58 percent complete as of last month. It projects it to be fully operational by March 2025.
JRMP II will irrigate 31,840 hectares of farmland in the province of Iloilo and increase annual rice production to 300,000 metric tons once it becomes operational.
“Ang ating project po ay magiging complete and ready for operations… our target [is] by March 2025. ‘Yon ang pinaka-target na all components – dams and irrigations – matatapos natin,” said Steve Cordero, JRMP Watershed Management chief and NIA-6 spokesperson.
JRMP II is projected to improve the lives of 25,000 farmers and improve the average yield of farmlands to 5.2 metric tons per hectare.
Cordero said, of the mega dam’s three component dams – Jalaur High Dam in barangays Agcalaga and Alibunan, Jalaur Afterbay Dam in barangays Agcalaga and Alibunan, and Alibunan River Catch Dam in Barangay Toyungan – two are now “substantially complete.”
“As of March 2023, the Alibunan River Catch Dam and the Jalaur Afterbay Dam are considered substantially completed. These dams will provide irrigation water to farmlands in Zone 1 of the project and regulate water from the impounding dam to the high line canal once operational,” Cordero said during a media visit at the JRMP II yesterday.
Electro-mechanical works are being finished at the Alibunan River Catch Dam while pipeline works are ongoing at the Jalaur Afterbay Dam.
Moreover, the high dam is now 84.1 meters high out of its structural height of 109 meters as of March.
Once completed, Cordero said the Jalaur High Dam will serve as an impounding dam with an estimated capacity of 250.70 million cubic meters for irrigation and bulk water supply.
Turbines for hydroelectric power will also be connected to the high dam through a powerhouse.
Another feature of the high dam is its flood control component, which was put to test during the onslaught of Typhoon “Paeng” in October 2022.
Meanwhile, the construction of the high line canal is also ongoing covering 47 kilometers, or 58.75 percent of its total length. Works are ongoing in the municipalities of Calinog, Lambunao, Janiuay, and Cabatuan.
Cordero said the main and lateral canals that will irrigate the farmlands are connected to this conveyance structure (referring to the high line canal), which has a length of 80 kilometers.
Earlier this year, Cordero said while the three dams will be completed within this year, the irrigation component is expected to be substantially completed by June 2024 or before September 2024.
He added that NIA is looking at around late 2024 or early 2025 for the mega dam to already provide water to different areas of the province, and even Iloilo City.
Municipalities in the province covered by the JRMP II are Calinog, Dueñas, Lambunao, Badiangan, Janiuay, Mina, Cabatuan, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, San Miguel, Alimodian, Oton, Tigbauan, Dingle, Barotac Nuevo, and Anilao, and the component city of Passi./PN
