Monsoon raises Luzon dams’ water level

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines — Aside from Magat Dam, the southwest monsoon has improved the water level in three other dams in northern Luzon, officials said yesterday.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the water level in Magat, located at the border of Asipulo town in Ifugao and Ramon in Isabela, had increased to 184.41 meters, which is above its normal level of 176.8.

Gileu Michael Dimoloy of the National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System attributed the rise to heavy rains that occurred over the dam’s watersheds in Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya in the past few weeks.

Dimoloy said that Magat, once touted as Asia’s largest hydro-dam, recorded its all-time low of 171.97 meters this year, particularly during El Niño.

Dam operators were compelled to close the reservoir’s water outflow from March 15 to May 6, to conserve water for the next planting season.

Magat Dam, which is over 40 years old, has been a major source of irrigation for some 96,000 hectares of farmlands in Isabela, the country’s leading corn and rice producer.

Meanwhile, Ambuklao Dam in Bokod town in Benguet released water on Tuesday to decrease its elevation to 747.70 meters from the previous day’s of 750.09, which is lower by only two meters from its high water level of 752.

As this developed, the southwest monsoon also increased the water level in Binga Dam in nearby Itogon town from 571.68 on Tuesday to 574.02 meters yesterday.

Binga’s high water level is 575 meters.

The elevation in Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija increased to 187.63 meters yesterday from 187.56 on Tuesday.