The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday, Feb. 19 said the water level of Angat Dam continued to decrease due to the lack of precipitation over the reservoir.
PAGASA recorded a reservoir water level of 207.78 meters on Feb. 19, which was lower than the record of 207.98 meters on Feb. 18.
Angat Dam located in Norzagaray, Bulacan is among the largest dams supplying potable water and energy to Metro Manila.
Its normal high water level is 212 meters.
PAGASA hydrologist Oyie Pagulayan told the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview that the decrease in the water level of Angat dam varies and paces at an average of 0.1 to 0.2 meters per day.
"Varying iyong pagbaba ng water level, the average is 0.1 of a meter per day, meron namang araw na 0.2 meters so magkakaiba (The decrease in the water level varies, the average per day is 0.1 of a meter, while there were days when there is a decrease of 0.2 meters, so it varies)," Pagulayan said.
While several factors were considered including the Metro Manila residents' use of water, Pagulayan said rates of evaporation and rainfall especially during the warm weather have contributed to its decrease.
"Of course walang masyadong pag-ulan, narecord na pag-ulan is almost zero for how many days or isolated lang na very very light, so mataas iyong utilization pero iyong replenishment ay hindi ganoon kabilis (Of course there is little rain, recorded amount of rainfall was almost zero for how many days or only isolated which were very very light, so the utilization is high, however, the replenishment is not that fast)," she said.
This season when a "strong" El Niño phenomenon is still present, water level of other dams also decreased including Ipo, La Mesa, Ambuklao, Binga, San Roque, Pantabangan, Magat, and Caliraya.