Angat Dam, nearing critical level, keeps irrigating farms

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines   – Despite nearing critical level,  Angat Dam has been releasing water to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-operated Bustos Dam since Saturday to provide for the irrigation needs of Bulacan and Pampanga.

The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) granted the request of farmers through NIA to allocate 42 cubic meters per second.

Records from the National Power Corp. showed water level at Angat Dam was only two meters above the critical 180 meters.

Precioso Punzalan, assistant dam operations manager of NIA at Bustos Dam, said Angat would continue to release water until tomorrow.

He said farmers requested for irrigation allocation after three weeks of little rainfall.

He said the allocation would benefit some 26,000 hectares of farmlands within the Angat Maasim River Irrigation System service area.

Punzalan said water level at the Bustos Dam rose from 14.80 meters above sea level, or below the critical 15 masl, to 15.86 masl after the allocation.

He said the water level should climb to 17 masl to ensure that irrigation will reach rice lands at the tail-end of irrigation canals.