Pantabangan Dam to release more water

CABANATUAN CITY , Philippines  – The Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS), which operates the giant Pantabangan Dam, will continue to release water from the dam in the next two weeks.

The move is aimed at cushioning the impact of possible flooding in the event of more typhoons, even as President Arroyo ordered a limit to the release of water from dams.

Antonio Nangel, UPRIIS operations manager, told The STAR that they would release water until the Pantabangam Dam’s water level reaches 218 meters, or three meters short of the spilling level of 221 meters.

At the water elevation of 219.84 meters as of 10 a.m. yesterday, Nangel said it would take them up to Oct. 20 or 21 at the latest to bring the elevation to 218 meters.

“At the outflow rate of 250 cubic meters per second, we need to bring the water level down to 218 meters as our buffer,” he said, adding this would be enough to loosen up water stored in the watershed area.

He issued the statement shortly after the President made a surprise visit to Nueva Ecija where she inspected the Pantabangan Dam to make sure that the release of water would be maintained at moderate levels.

At the height of tropical storm “Pepeng” last Sept. 28-29, Nangel said they also released water from the dam, effectively bringing down the water level to 218.68 meters from 220.28 meters.

Water released from the dam had been blamed for severe flooding in Barangay Ganduz in Pantabangan town.

While the water release might have caused the flooding, Nangel said his office is coordinating with the mayors of Pantabangan, Rizal and Bongabon towns to enable them to make adequate preparations.