Angat, Magat dams release water

MALOLOS CITY – Water elevation at the Angat Dam rose to 213 meters above sea level (masl) yesterday, prompting the National Power Corp. (Napocor) to discharge water through its spillway for the first time this year.

This came a day after Super Typhoon Yolanda left the country, but still left heavy rainfall in the dam’s reservoir.

Napocor president Gladys Sta. Rita said the Angat Dam started discharging 190 to 200 cubic meters per second (cms) of water.

She said Napocor opened the dam’s floodgate by one meter to discharge at least 130 cms through its spillway.

Napocor is also discharging 61 cms through its tunnels to power its hydroelectric turbines that generate electricity.

In Isabela, meanwhile, Magat Dam released 200 cms of water from its reservoir at noon yesterday following continuous rainfall in its watershed area that increased water elevation three meters short of the critical level of 193 meters, according to the weather bureau’s Northern Luzon regional service division.

Prior to the release of dam water, a flood warning was issued to areas near the Cagayan and Pinacanauan rivers.