Shahrum Sayuthi, New Straits Times 21 Mar 10;
JOHOR BARU: The cloud seeding carried out in central Johor a few days ago appears to be showing positive results.
It has been raining for the past two days in areas worst hit by the current dry spell, including Kluang.
Despite water levels at dams and rivers mostly still being critical, a further decline has been stopped.
State water management company SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd appeared upbeat over the prospect of the drought coming to an end within the next two or three weeks.
Its corporate communications head, Jamaluddin Jamil, said the cloud seeding initiated by the state government would continue to induce more rain until the current dry spell improved.
"The cloud seeding carried out on Saturday, for instance, was successful in inducing rain in several of the affected catchment areas," he said.
"Water level at the Bekok dam on that day actually increased by about 0.02 metre, which may not seem much, but, nonetheless, is still a good development."
The Bekok dam, which supplies water mostly to the Batu Pahat district, registered 9.92m on Friday -- below its 10m critical mark.
Water levels at other affected catchment areas remained the same. However, Jamaluddin said, they were expected to increase if more rain could be induced through cloud seeding over the next few days.
As of yesterday, the Chengok dam which supplies water to Mersing registered 4.14m, 0.56m below the critical level; and the Sembrong Barat dam in Kluang was at 8.11m where 7.4m is the critical level. The other water source for Kluang, Sungai Sembrong Timur, was still at 0.1m -- below the river's critical level of 0.5m.
Jamaluddin urged people living in the affected areas, especially Kluang, which has been undergoing water rationing for the past one month, to use water sparingly until the dry spell ends.
The cloud seeding, which cost the state government RM500,000, started on March 13 and will go on for a month.
The exercise is jointly carried out by the Johor Water Supervisory Division (Bakaj), which coordinates the water resources in the state, the Meteorological Department and Department of Irrigation and Drainage.
