Water Supply In MADA Padi Cultivation Areas Shows Positive Development

ALOR SETAR, May 25 (Bernama) -- Water supply in padi cultivation areas under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) has shown positive development following an increase in reservoir levels at the three main dams, driven by cloud seeding operations and rainfall in the catchment areas.

MADA said in a statement that it would continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that padi planting activities for the 1/2026 season proceeded in an orderly and controlled manner according to actual conditions on the ground.

It said that as of today, the total water storage in the three main dams under the supervision of MADA stood at 508,275 acre-feet, or 41.56 per cent of total capacity.

“Pedu Dam stood at 373,755 acre-feet, or 42.71 per cent, while Muda Dam was at 19,150 acre-feet, or 15.32 per cent, and Ahning Dam at 115,370 acre-feet, or 51.74 per cent,” the statement said.

During the same period, rainfall in the catchment areas was recorded at 4.8 millimetres (mm) in Pedu, 45.5 mm in Ahning and 0.8 mm in Muda.

MADA said water release operations from Pedu Dam and Ahning Dam were continuing in a controlled manner at a combined rate of 600 cubic feet per second (cusec), to ensure domestic water supply remains stable and adequate.

In terms of padi planting activities for the 1/2026 season, the agency said that as of May 20, the pre-saturation phase had reached 95.6 per cent, while land preparation stood at 67.9 per cent.

“As for the planting phase, current progress was at 2.2 per cent,” it said.

MADA said that based on current developments, padi planting activities are expected to begin after the Hari Raya Aidiladha holiday, subject to water supply conditions, rainfall and current technical advice.

At the same time, MADA called on all farmers to use water prudently and optimally to ensure smooth implementation of padi planting activities for the 1/2026 season.

“Despite the positive increase resulting from cloud seeding operations and rainfall, existing water resources still need to be managed efficiently, in a controlled and responsible manner,” it said.

--BERNAMA