WATER RESOURCES SURVEY - PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT

THE PROJECT BEGAN IN AUG, 1960 WHEN SERIOUS FLOOD LOSSES PROMPTED THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES TO REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF A US FLOOD CONTROL CONSULTANT. THE CONSULTANT"S WORK WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHER ASPECTS OF WATER UTILIZATION NOT ONLY IN CENTRAL LUZON BUT IN FIVE OTHER MAJOR RIVER BASINS. THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED A COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCES SURVEY TO BE CONDUCTED BY A QUALIFIED TEAM OF EXPERTS. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FAVORABLY ACCEPTED BY THE GOP & USAID ENTERED INTO A PASA WITH THE US BUREAU OF RECLAMATION (BUREC) FOR A WATER RESOURCES SURVEY TEAM. THE SEVEN MAJOR RIVER BASINS HAVE BEEN SURVEYED UNDER THIS PROJ. HOWEVER,INADEQUATE OR NOR-EXISTENT BASIC ENGINEERING,HYDROLOGIC,GEOLOGIC,SOILS & ECONOMIC DATA PREVENTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR THE CAGAYAN,BICOL,COTABATO,AGUSAN & ILOG-HILABANGAN RIVER BASINS. THE REPORTS ON THESE FIVE BASINS WERE,THEREFORE,LIMITED TO BASIN INVENTORIES SPECIFYING POTENTIAL DAM & RESERVOIR SITES AND POTENTIAL AREAS FOR IRRIGATION,FISH CONSERVATION & WATER-BASED RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. THE REPORT ON THE CENTRAL LUZON BASIN PROPOSED 11 INTERRELATED BUT SEPARATE MULTI-PURPOSE WATER STORAGE AND REGULATION PROJS. THE UPPER PAMPANGA RIVER PROJ REPORT CONTAINED SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED TECHNICAL & ECONOMIC DATA TO ESTABLISH THE PROJECT"S FEASIBILITY. (THE WORKD BANK HAS COMMITTED A $34 MILLION LOAN FOR THE IRRIGATION PHASE OF THE PROJECT.) THE US BUREC TEAM ALSO PREPARED A MANUAL OF PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES TO GUIDE GOP AGENCIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER RESOURCES. TECHNICIANS FROM THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC WORKS WERE GIVEN ON-JOB TRAINING AND 20 FILIPINO ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS PARTICIPATED IN A US TRAINING PROGRAM.