MADA Dams At 40 Per Cent Capacity, Cloud Seeding Underway To Boost Reserves

ALOR SETAR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Overall water reserves at three Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) dams stood at 40.13 per cent today, with cloud seeding operations underway to boost water inflow and reserves ahead of the next padi planting season.

MADA, in a statement today, said water reserves at the Pedu Dam were at 40.82 per cent, while the Muda and Ahning dams recorded 25.92 per cent and 45.38 per cent, respectively.

“Prolonged hot and dry weather caused rainfall in the Pedu Dam catchment area to drop by almost 30 per cent compared to the average from January to May this year, affecting water inflow and causing dam reserve levels to decline.

“MADA has carried out five series of cloud seeding operations since February in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) and the Kedah State Water Resources Board (LSANK),” the statement read.

The agency said NADMA had agreed to conduct cloud seeding in the Muda and Pedu dam catchment areas from yesterday until Wednesday to increase water reserves, following a request on Sept 15.

Meanwhile, to optimise existing water resources, MADA continues to operate 117 recycling pumps to channel water from drainage systems and rivers to support padi planting needs.

The agency is also managing water control structures and irrigation systems to improve distribution efficiency to padi fields.

MADA advised farmers to utilise rainwater collected in their fields for the Season 1/2026 planting period instead of relying on dam water releases for irrigation.

It said water releases are being managed prudently to meet domestic and industrial needs, as well as to maintain canal water levels to strengthen riverbanks.

Continuous monitoring is being carried out using telemetry systems, particularly during the Monsoon Transition phase before the Northeast Monsoon begins, to observe reserve levels and catchment area conditions.

Addressing concerns over adequate water supply for the upcoming planting season, MADA assured farmers that it would continue coordinating water resource management with the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry and related agencies.

The Muda area is a strategic national padi production zone managed by MADA, contributing almost 40 per cent of Malaysia's total padi output.

-- BERNAMA