Angat Dam water level breaches 180-meter minimum operating level
The water level in Angat Dam fell below its minimum operating level of 180 meters on Saturday, July 8, based on the monitoring of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its dam information issued at 6 a.m., PAGASA said Angat Dam’s water level was down to 179.99 meters on July 8, from 180.45 meters on July 7.
Its current water level is now below its 180-meter minimum operating level, and way below its 212-meter normal-high water level during the rainy season.
Angat Dam (Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin)
On Friday, July 7, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said it will reduce the water allocation from Angat Dam if the dam’s water level falls below the minimum operating level. “If the dam’s water level decreases below the minimum operating level of 180 meters, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System will revert to its regular allocation of 48 cubic meters per second (cms) of water until the end of July from their current allocation off 50 cms,” NWRB said in a statement. “[Meanwhile,] the National Irrigation Administration will have an allocation of up to 20 cms until the end of July. NIA has a current water allocation of up to 28.5 cms this month,” it added. Authorities have been calling on the public to take part actively in efforts to conserve water resources to mitigate the impacts of El Niño, a climate phenomenon that causes drier and warmer conditions in the country. The NWRB suggested some water-saving techniques that can significantly help to lessen the impacts of the El Niño, such as rainwater harvesting, reducing consumption, fixing leaks as soon as they are discovered, and optimizing irrigation systems. PAGASA confirmed the presence of “weak” El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific early this month, with widespread effects on the country expected as early as October. However, the likelihood that the El Niño will become a “moderate to strong” event has increased between the end of 2023 and early 2024.
Angat Dam (Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin)
On Friday, July 7, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said it will reduce the water allocation from Angat Dam if the dam’s water level falls below the minimum operating level. “If the dam’s water level decreases below the minimum operating level of 180 meters, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System will revert to its regular allocation of 48 cubic meters per second (cms) of water until the end of July from their current allocation off 50 cms,” NWRB said in a statement. “[Meanwhile,] the National Irrigation Administration will have an allocation of up to 20 cms until the end of July. NIA has a current water allocation of up to 28.5 cms this month,” it added. Authorities have been calling on the public to take part actively in efforts to conserve water resources to mitigate the impacts of El Niño, a climate phenomenon that causes drier and warmer conditions in the country. The NWRB suggested some water-saving techniques that can significantly help to lessen the impacts of the El Niño, such as rainwater harvesting, reducing consumption, fixing leaks as soon as they are discovered, and optimizing irrigation systems. PAGASA confirmed the presence of “weak” El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific early this month, with widespread effects on the country expected as early as October. However, the likelihood that the El Niño will become a “moderate to strong” event has increased between the end of 2023 and early 2024.