– in light of El Nino
The Ministry of Agriculture has issued an urgent notice to farmers advising that they must conserve water in light of the el nino situation which is likely to prevail until March 2010.

The Ministry advises of the following:
REGION 2
* Irrigation services are provided by the operation of the Dawa pumps, the Capoey Lake, Lake Mainstay, and the Golden Fleece Conservancy for approximately 32,476 acres of rice lands and other crops.

* The Main Distributory Canal water level is currently 54.0 GD, which is 3.0 ft below the full supply level of 57.0 GD.

This means that there will be reduced supplies by gravity in the 2nd and 3rd depth areas along Somerset and Berks and, Affiance and Devonshire Castle.

REGION 3
* Irrigation Services are provided from the Boerasirie Water Conservancy for approximately 25,933 acres of sugar lands, 21,380 acres of rice lands, and 9,487 acres of other crops.

The conservancy level is at present at 57.00 GD, which is 4.70 GD below the full supply level. This means there will be a reduced supply of water by gravity. At Wales and Uitvlugt estates, GuySuCo has implemented a re-circulation method by the use of pumps to ensure adequate irrigation water. A temporary sluice has been put in place at West Demerara Estate.

NDIA is currently installing two 40.0 cu.sec hydroflow irrigation pumps at Warimia 5-door sluice to pump water from the Bonasika River into the Boerasirie Water Conservancy. NDIA implemented re-circulation of water at Philadelphia and Ruby to serve 1800 acres of rice cultivation lands. There will be a reduced supply of irrigation water in the irrigation system to serve the high lands between Parika and Versailles.

REGION 4
Irrigation Services are provided through the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) for approximately 32,116 acres of sugar cane, 6,138 acres of rice lands, 1,176 acres hectares of vegetable lands, and 4,742 acres of orchards and coconuts The Conservancy level is at present at 52.25 GD at Flagstaff which is operating below the dead storage level of 53.50 GD.

NDIA has put into operation two hydroflow irrigation pumps to pump water into the EDWC from Maduni to increase the level above 53.5 GD and to sustain the structural integrity of the dams.

NDIA implemented re-circulation of water by mechanical pumping at Cane Grove to serve 350 acres of rice cultivation lands.

There will be a reduced supply of irrigation water to areas of Cane Grove to Nabaclis along the ECD and Garden of Eden to Mocha, EBD.

REGION 5
Abary/Berbice Block
* Services are provided by the Abary Conservancy for approximately 52,000 acres of rice lands, 16,000 acres of sugar lands, and 30,000 plus 19,000 acres of cattle grazing lands.

* The Conservancy level is currently at 60.17 GD which means there are still adequate supplies of irrigation water.

* Drinking water will be provided to residents of Abary.

Mahaicony/Abary Block
* Services are provided by mechanical pumping at Mora Point and the river intake sluice at Hyde Park for approximately 21,000 acres of rice lands and approximately 45,000 acres of cattle grazing lands.

* The saline point of the Mahaicony River has now moved upstream and as a result the Hyde Park sluice cannot be used.

* This means that there will be a reduced supply of irrigation water in the system from Bellamy Canal to the Jugdeo Canal although the area south of MARDS (Jugdeo Canal) should be safe.

Mahaica/Mahaicony Block
* Services are provided in this block via the Perth Biabu Canal and the structures on the Mahaica and Mahaicony Rivers for approximately 18,000 acres of rice lands, 65,000 acres of cattle grazing lands, and

* 3,500 acres of cash crop lands.

The area north of the Industry Canal to the Bellamy will experience slight, but manageably difficulty for irrigation. The MMA will boost supplies into the Perth Biabu through an additional intake from the Mahaica River via the Manuel Canal, and mechanical pumping using a mobile pump.

REGION 6
* Irrigation Services are provided by the use of mechanical irrigation pumps at New Forest, Port Mourant, Mibikuri, Manarabisi, and Sandaka to lift irrigation water from the Canje Creek into the irrigation system for approximately 46,994 acres of rice lands, 26,453 acres sugar lands and other crops.

Also, irrigation water is supplemented in the Canje Creek via the Torani Canal that channel flows from the Berbice River. The Canje creek is now operating at an average of 54.5 GD which is 3.0 ft below its full supply level.

Irrigation Services are provided in Black Bush Polder by the Mibicuri pumping station for approximately 36,000 acres of rice land and 5000 acres of cash crops. However, 18,000 acres of BBP frontlands in areas from Whim to # 51 village will experience low water levels and reduced gravity flows in the irrigation system. There will be a reduced supply of irrigation water by gravity for approximately 3000 acres of rice lands and 2100 acres of cash crops in Crabwood Creek due to the current low water level in the GuySuCo link Canal.

Farmers are urged:
* not to waste irrigation water and recognise it is their responsibility to ensure that the structures, and in particular field inlets and outlets, are monitored and managed in order to avoid any wastage.

* to desist from tampering with structures and cuttings dams, as it is an offence and is in contravention of the Drainage and Irrigation Act.

The Ministry of Agriculture has established a special telephone hotline for farmers: 227- 2204, 227-5049 and 226- 6655.