Mada said the other dams under its purview, namely the Pedu dam and the Ahning dam, recorded levels at 43.1% and 83.07% respectively, reported Bernama.

“The main function of the three dams is to store water for irrigation of padi crops and domestic water supply in northern Kedah and southern Perlis.

“The current condition of the reservoirs is due to very low rainfall in the dam catchment areas this year.

“From January to July, the rainfall was 812 millimetres (mm), compared to the 20-year average (2004 to 2023) of 1,085mm for the same period,” it said in a statement.

However, Mada said the water reservoirs in the three dams were categorised as normal and still high when compared to the lowest recorded between 1974 and 2023, which was 2.7% for the Muda dam, 11.21% at the Pedu dam and 27% at the Ahning dam.

To increase water levels, Mada said it is collaborating with the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the meteorological department and Kedah Water Resources Board to conduct cloud seeding within the reservoir catchment areas.

“This cloud-seeding operation depends on conducive atmospheric conditions such as high humidity, presence of cumulus clouds and gentle wind speeds to facilitate the targeted rainfall,” it said.

Mada said it also plans to maximise the use of recycled water pumping stations and optimise the use of river water flowing into canals.

“The public need not panic about the current water levels in the Muda dam, as the long-term weather outlook for July to December, provided by MetMalaysia, indicates rainfall in the area is expected to remain within average ranges throughout the period.

“The current water level at Pedu dam remains sufficient to meet irrigation needs for the success of the first season of rice cultivation for 2024, as well as demand for domestic and industrial purposes within the Mada area,” it added.