MALOLOS CITY , Philippines – Water elevation in Angat Dam continues to climb even if the dam has been releasing water for days now.
Water elevation climbed to 212.84 meters at 11 a.m. yesterday from the 212.65 meters recorded three hours earlier.
Engineer Rodolfo German, head of the Angat Hydro Electric Power Plant (AHEPP) of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) that manages the dam said they have been gradually releasing water from the giant reservoir since Tuesday in preparation for rains that will be brought by typhoon “Pepeng.”
For his part, engineer Russel Rigor of the Flood Forecasting Division of Napocor based at Angat Dam, said the dam’s floodgate opening is only one meter high.
This means that water outflow is only 123 cubic meters per second (cms).
German and Rigor said that gradual release of water was meant to ease the pressure on the dam dikes.
The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council of Bulacan also initiated preemptive evacuation of some 450 families living mostly on riverbanks.
The PDCC said the families would only be allowed to return to their homes when water on the Angat River normalizes.
Tropical storm “Ondoy” left 22 towns and cities in Bulacan underwater and damaged at least P1 billion worth of infrastructure and agriculture.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said four other dams in Luzon continue to release water.
These include Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija, Binga and Ambuklaw Dams in Benguet, and Magat Dam in Isabela.
All dams have been nearing their spilling levels since the onslaught of Ondoy a week ago.
On the other hand, water elevation at the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan was at 277.84 meters yesterday, still below the normal high water level of 280 meters. – With Eva Visperas