Monsoon rains increase water level of 3 major dams

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines – Monsoon rains for the last four days has increased the water levels of three major dams in Luzon, data from the state weather bureau showed.

Records obtained by The STAR from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)’s flood forecasting division showed a slight rise in the water levels of San Roque Dam in Pangasinan and Ambuklao and Binga dams in Benguet.

San Roque Dam’s water elevation climbed to 237.53 meters above sea level yesterday from Wednesday’s 236.99 masl, or a .54 meter increase.

Ambuklao Dam’s water level rose from the 741.95 masl recorded last Wednesday to 742.20 masl yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, Binga Dam’s water level climbed to 573.66 masl yesterday from Wednesday’s 571.64 masl.

But water levels in other dams continued to drop, although in a slower manner due to the monsoon rains.

The water level in Bulacan’s Angat Dam dropped to 170.68 masl yesterday from Wednesday’s 170.95 masl.

It has been more than a month that the water elevation of the dam has been going down at the rate of .40 meter every day.

Engr. Rodolfo German, general manager of the Angat River Hydroelectric Power Plant, earlier said intermittent rain is contributing to the water reserve of the Angat Dam.

German expressed confidence that the dam’s water level will soon rise with the onset of the rainy season.

In Nueva Ecija, Pantabangan Dam also showed a slower rate in the drop of its water level.

The dam’s water elevation dropped to 180 masl from Wednesday’s 180.39 masl.

Even the water elevation of Magat Dam along the Isabela-Ifugao border remains below the normal level, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said yesterday.

It dropped to 166.83 masl yesterday from the 167.76 masl recorded last Wednesday.

The dam’s normal level should be at least 180 meters. It had an all-time low of 149-meter water level in July 1991.

SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP), which acquired ownership of the dam’s power facility from the government, earlier said Magat Dam is still capable of generating power for the Luzon grid despite the drop in its water level.

Mike Hosillos, SNAP corporate communications officer, said the dam’s present water volume is still within the minimum operational level of at least 160 meters.

Once Asia’s biggest hydro-power facility, Magat Dam can generate a maximum capacity of 380 megawatts of power.

It is the second biggest power provider among hydro-dams in the Luzon grid after the San Roque Dam.

The dam also provides irrigation to more than 80,000 hectares of farmlands in Isabela and parts of Cagayan and Quirino. The NIA operates the dam’s irrigation component.

In March 2010, the dam shut down its power facility when its water level dropped to 152.7 meters.

SNAP, a Filipino-Norwegian consortium, also owns and operates the 105-megawatt Ambuklao Dam, said to be the country’s oldest, and the 125-MW Binga Dam.  â€“ With Charlie Lagasca