Angat level rises but not by much

CITY OF MALOLOS, Philippines — Water elevation at Angat Dam was just less than half a meter from the minimum operating level of 180 meters as of July 14.

Records from the Bulacan provincial disaster risk reduction management office showed the water level at the dam at 180.41 meters as of 8 a.m. on July 14 from 180.86 meter the day before.

The current water elevation of the dam was 31.59 meters below the normal high water level of 212 meter.

The dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water requirements as well as irrigation to more that 20,000 hectares of ricelands in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga.

It also contributes to the hydropower generation for the Luzon grid.

Sevillo David Jr., executive director of the National Water Resources Board, earlier said that if the water level of Angat Dam dips below the 180-meter level, its water supply would be solely allocated for the potable water needs of Metro Manila while water allocation for irrigation and hydropower generations would be cut off as a matter of protocol.

If this happens, irrigated ricelands in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga will have to rely on rainwater for their irrigation requirements.

The scenario is bleak as the ongoing El Niño weather disturbance is likely to drag on until next year.

As this developed, Josephine Salazar, National Irrigation Central Luzon director, told The STAR that several solar powered irrigation pumps are expected to be installed and completed this year in the provinces of Aurora and Tarlac.

For the towns of Dilasag, Casiguran and Dipaculao in Aurora, solar pump systems are expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of this year and first quarter next year.

The solar pump system is designed to provide irrigation water to around 305.96 hectares of ricelands.

For the towns of Camiling and San Clemente in Tarlac province, there are six solar pump systems scheduled for completion by the fourth quarter.