Napocor to conduct cloud seeding over Angat Dam

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines  â€“ The National Power Corp. (Napocor) is set to conduct cloud seeding operations over Angat Dam this week.

This came as the dam’s water elevation dropped to 183.97 meters above sea level (masl) on Saturday – just about four meters above the critical level – while clouds that could be seeded are expected to disappear soon.

“Our target for the cloud seeding is this week because we have to rush while there are still ‘seedable’ clouds,” said engineer Rodolfo German, general manager of the Napocor’s Angat River hydroelectric power plant.

He said cloud seeding is dependent on the availability of thick clouds that could be seeded.

The Napocor, according to German, is now coordinating with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management of the Department of Agriculture.

The MWSS is set to spend P2.6 million for the first phase of the cloud seeding that will take at least 60 flight hours.

If the 60 flight hours are spent and will not help increase the dam’s water level, German said the Napocor and the NDRRMC will finance the second phase of cloud seeding.

He said like in the past, cloud seeding involves a cloud spotter stationed at the Angat watershed. If there are clouds that could be seeded, the spotter will alert the pilot at the airport in Plaridel town.

German said there is no guarantee that seeded clouds will bring rainfall over the Angat watershed, adding that clouds are dependent on wind velocity and direction.

He said seeded clouds brought rains in Aurora province and parts of Metro Manila in the past. 

German said they expect the water elevation of Angat Dam to drop to the critical 180 masl by the first week of May.

He said the water elevation is receding at a rate of about half meter a day, and it may take only eight to 10 days before it reaches the critical level.

Even if the water level does not drop to the critical 180 masl, he said they have to cut the allocation for irrigation by May 15. 

At present, the Napocor is supplying 41 cubic meters per second to MWSS concessionaires in Metro Manila and 14 cms to farmers.

This move is meant to secure the supply of potable water for Metro Manila residents who German advises to conserve and recycle water.

Meanwhile, the Maynilad Water Services Inc. recently signed a multimillion-peso project that will increase water supply to Angat Dam.

The Sumag River diversion project was forged with representatives of Manila Water Co. Inc. and Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp.

Under the project, Maynilad and Manila Water will share the project cost, which is expected to reach P717 million. 

The Sumag project involves the construction of a 600-meter tunnel (with 2.5 meter diameter) from the Sumag River in General Nakar, Quezon to the Umiray-Angat transbasin tunnel in Angat, Bulacan. 

Once completed, Maynilad said the tunnel will augment the inflow of water to Angat Dam by 188 million liters per day. 

The additional water supply will help address the increasing water requirements of the residents of Metro Manila and nearby areas.  – With Michael Punongbayan