Angat Dam water rises past minimum operating level

MANILA, Philippines — After several days of continuous rain spawned by the southwest monsoon and the recent cyclones, water in Angat Dam in Bulacan increased to its minimum or normal operating level yesterday, according to the provincial disaster office.

As of 4 p.m., Angat’s elevation increased to 180.84 meters from 178.79 the previous day.

The elevation was higher by 84 centimeters than the dam’s minimum operating level of 180 meters.

On July 25, Angat recorded a historic all-time-low water level of 150.6 meters, prompting authorities to reduce the allocation for the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, which supplies water to its concessionaires.

The dam has struggled to recover past its minimum operating level even as the rainy season started and amid occurrences of low-pressure areas and cyclones.

Angat provides more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and supplies irrigation water to palay farms in Central Luzon.

Meanwhile, Ambuklao and Binga dams in Benguet opened their spillway gates, but the elevation remained higher than the reservoirs’ normal high-water level.

Ipo and La Mesa dams in Bulacan reduced their elevations by 23 and 28 centimeters, respectively.

The water level in San Roque Dam in Pangasinan increased to 266.20 meters from the previous 264.95, but it remained below the normal high-water level of 280 meters. 

Other major dams – Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija, Magat in Isabela and Caliraya in Laguna – increased slightly or by 54, 33 and five centimeters, respectively.