Kuala lumpur: The water level at the Muda Dam in Sik has dropped to a worrying low of just 8.04 per cent, or 10,050 acre-feet, as of today. Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh highlighted the critical role of the dam in collecting water before channelling it to Pedu Dam for irrigation across the Muda agricultural area.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, after several months of drought, the combined water levels at Muda, Pedu, and Ahning dams stand at about 39 per cent. At this low level, the priority for any water release is for domestic use at water treatment plants. The situation directly impacts water supply, especially for paddy irrigation, as explained by Ismail on TikTok.

MADA plans to meet soon to decide on the upcoming 1/2026 planting season, considering that current reservoir levels may not permit water releases. Dry direct seeding is likely to be adopted, with farmers already briefed on the situation. The planting season is expected to begin within three weeks, and rain is being hoped for to proceed as scheduled.

Efforts such as solat istisqa' (prayers for rain) and cloud seeding operations have not yet yielded results. Ismail urged all parties to continue efforts and prayers for rainfall to alleviate the situation.

According to data on MADA's official website, Muda Dam recorded the lowest storage at 10,050 acre-feet (8.04 per cent), followed by Pedu Dam at 349,030 acre-feet (39.89 per cent) and Ahning Dam at 121,089 acre-feet (54.30 per cent).