Quarrying threatens irrigation dams, canals

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan―Irrigation dams and canals in San Fabian and Rosales towns in Pangasinan province are being threatened by sand and gravel quarry sites that operate too close to the structures, according to a farm irrigators’ group.

“When the rivers swell, the strong current will erode the foundation and protection walls of the structures, causing these to weaken and eventually collapse,” said Oftociano Manalo, president of the Pangasinan Federation of Irrigators’ Associations.

The irrigation systems in San Fabian and Rosales can serve 4,000 hectares of farms in each town.

Manalo said his group had been trying to determine how the quarry operations have been allowed near the waterways. Under mining regulations, provincial governments issue permits for quarry sites with areas within or below 5 ha.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources oversees quarry sites with areas exceeding 5 ha. As a policy, quarry operations must be at least a kilometer away from irrigation structures.

The National Irrigation Administration has no authority to stop the quarry operations, “so we are appealing to authorities to safeguard the structures that we are using,” Manalo said.

He said irrigators also welcomed plans to abolish irrigation service fees by appropriating a maintenance budget for irrigation dams.

“It would be a big help for us because we won’t have to pay P1,750 during wet crop season and P2,450 during dry crop season,” he said.

He said 70 percent of the irrigation fees is used for maintenance while the rest is for salaries of contractual employees.