DENR: La Mesa Dam stable after overflow

MANILA, Philippines — The water level of La Mesa Dam in Quezon City is now stable after it overflowed on Wednesday night amid the continuous intense rains brought by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Carina, a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official said yesterday.

The dam has no floodgate and the water overflowed after it reached the spilling level of 80.15 meters, DENR Undersecretary Carlos David said.

“As of now, the level (of La Mesa Dam) is stable. We need to clarify that there are different kinds of dams or reservoirs in the Philippines. For La Mesa Dam, it has no floodgate. No water was released from the dam. It simply overflows once the reservoir is filled up,” he said in a radio interview.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, La Mesa Dam’s water level went down to 80.13 meters or 0.02 meters below its spilling level of 80.15 meters.

The dam overflowed on Wednesday night after it reached 80.17 meters or 0.02 meters above its spilling level.

“Basically, when it is raining, it (La Mesa Dam) has the capacity to absorb the rains so that (the water) will not go down to the downstream portion of Tullahan River. Up to that point it helps, that is why the water levels of our rivers are low. Once it overflows, it means that the water from the watershed areas go directly to the downstream area as it has no capacity,” David said.

Authorities said that the water from La Mesa Dam may still affect the low-lying areas along the Tullahan River, including Fairview, Forest Hills Subdivision, Quirino Highway, Sta. Quiteria and San Bartolome in Quezon City; Barangay Ligon, North Expressway and La Huerta Subdivision in Valenzuela and Malabon.

“This was the situation of the Old Wawa Dam. It has no floodgate, that’s why once it reached spilling level, it overflowed but no water was released,” David said.