Angat Dam spilling operations continue

MANILA, Philippines — Water release from Angat Dam continued yesterday as its elevation reached almost 214 meters amid continued rains in its watersheds.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the water level in the dam was at 213.67 meters or 0.31 meters higher compared to 213.37 meters in the previous day.

“The National Power Corp. is still conducting spilling operations with three gates open at 1.5 meters,” the hydrometeorology division of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

Local disaster risk reduction and management officials advised residents of low-lying areas and near the banks of Angat River in Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliuag, Pulilan, Plaridel, Calumpit, Paombong and Hagonoy to be alert for a rise in the river elevation.

The Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said the dam was discharging 267 cubic meter per second (cms) of water on its downstream river system that flows toward Ipo and Bustos Dams.

One spill gate of Ipo Dam was opened at .70 meters as the water level was monitored at 100.85 meters.

The dam’s spilling level is 101.00 meters.

Water release from Angat Dam causes Ipo Dam to spill 215.90 cms of water toward Bustos Dam, which in turn discharges 170 cms of water to its downstream river system.

Josephine Salazar, National Irrigation Administration-Central Luzon director, said Sluice Gates 1 and 2 of Bustos Dam were raised at 2.5 meters while Sluice Gate 3 was opened at three meters.

PAGASA hydrologist Edgar de la Cruz had earlier said the water level in Angat Dam would be enough to last through the dry season despite El Niño.

Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of rice fields in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga.

Maynilad Water Services Inc. corporate communications head Jennifer Rufo said the water concessionaire has an augmentation program to ensure enough supply for the El Niño phenomenon.

“This program includes generation of additional supply from alternate sources and intensified recovery of water losses,” Rufo said. ”The effort to increase stored water in Angat Dam before the year ends is an added measure being pursued by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System with support from the National Water Resources Board.”