1,000 water sensors up for 18 river basins

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III directed the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to immediately facilitate the installation of over 1,000 automatic water level sensors in the country's 18 major river basins.

In a statement, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the President has already directed the immediate release of funding for the project as the country braces for the effect of La Nina phenomenon next year.

He added that the government will prioritize the installation of sensors in Cagayan de Oro River (two sensors upstream, one downstream); Iponan River in Misamis Oriental (one sensor); and Iligan City River (one sensor upstream, one sensor downstream).

The three areas were severely affected by the devastation of Tropical Storm Sendong that left 1,080 people dead while more than 1,000 others remained missing.

Abad noted that the project aimed at enhancing the government weather forecasting system, especially in tracking river water levels for potential floods.

“The Aquino administration is moving fast…in providing additional technology to refine our country’s weather prediction systems," he said.

"The production and installation of the automatic water level sensors are part of the Aquino administration’s immediate-response projects for Visayas and Northern Mindanao,” he added.

Since the 1980s, only four rivers in the country have water level sensors.

Among the country’s major river basins included:

1    Cagayan       27,280 (Drainage Area/sq.km)        505 (Length/km)      II (Region Location)

2    Cotabato                           23,169                       373    XII

3    Agusan                             10,621                       350  X

4    Pampanga                         9,759                         260  III

5    Agno                                  5,952                         206  III

6    Abra                                   5,125                         178  I

7    Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Bay  4,678                              78   IV(1/3)

8    Bicol                                  3,771                         136  V

9    Abulog                              3,372                         175  II

10   Tagum-Libuganon            3,064                           89   XI

11   Ilog-Hilabangan                1,945                         124  VI

12   Panay                               1,843                         132  VI

13   Tagoloan                          1,704                         106  X

14   Agus                                 1,645                           36   X

15   Davao                               1,623                         150  XI

16   Cagayan De Oro              1,521                           90   X

17   Jalaur                               1,503                         123  VI

18   Buayan-Malungun            1,434                           60   XI

19   Amburayan                       1,386                -                  I

20   Laoag                               1,353                           73   I

21   Amnay-Patrick                     993                        100  IV(2/3)

*    Iloilo                                         93                              11   VI

*    Ormoc                                      37                              29   VIII

*    Cebu                                        64                              62   VII

(* - small rivers with high risk of potential damages that runs across major cities)       

In related development, the DBM has already released P150 million for the purchase of three Doppler radars to boost national weather monitoring, accurate forecasting, and early flood warning.

The Doppler radars will be installed in Antique, Palawan, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Dopplers that will be set up in the western parts of the country are expected to complete the country’s real-time coverage of weather trends.