Angat Dam down to 180-meter minimum operating water level

The receding water at Angat Dam nears its minimum operating level of 180 meters on May 7, 2024. —File photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — The water level of Angat Dam, which supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs, has reached its minimum operating level of 180 meters, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Monday.

According to its latest bulletin, Pagasa said that Angat Dam’s water level decreased to 180.73 meters as of 8 a.m.

READ: DILG instructs all LGUs to conserve water amid effects of El Niño

The state weather bureau attributed the dam’s continued decrease to the impact of the El Niño Phenomenon and the dry season.

“Bukod sa dry season itong month na to meron din tayong El Niño so tumingkad talaga yung init yun ang dahilan, wala pa tayo masyadong pag-ulan, but pumapasok na tayo sa rainy season,” Hydrologist Elmer Caringal of hydrometeorology division Pagasa said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

(Besides the dry season, the effects of El Niño also caused the Angat Dam water level to decrease, which is why we experienced extreme heat. But the rainy season is coming.)

“Continues ang pagbaba ng Angat dam parang may transition pa yan kahit na may mga pag-ulan tayo nararanasan dahil yung mga bundok at puno uhaw na uhaw pa,” he added.

(The lowering of the Angat dam continues. Even though we are experiencing some rain, the dam will still undergo a transition since the thirsty mountains and trees will absorb all the rainwater.)

Based on their forecast, Caringal said that Angat Dam’s water level is expected to recover and increase by the end of July or the first week of August.

Aside from Angat, Binga Dam likewise observed a slight decrease in water level from 567.87 to 566.47 meters.

To combat the continued decrease of Angat Dam’s water level, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2024-065, instructing local chief executives and barangay captains to regularly “monitor water meters and immediately report leaks to concerned water service providers.”

LGUs are likewise expected to conduct “information, education and communication campaigns on water conservation measures” to raise public awareness, advising them to use the budget from their local disaster risk reduction and management fund for these activities.

Meanwhile, the water level of seven other dams increased over the last 24 hours. These are as follows:

• Ipo (from 99.58 to 99.63 meters)
• La Mesa (from 75.11 to 75.16 meters)
• Ambuklao (from 741.04 to 741.34 meters)
• San Roque (From 226.83 to 227.01 meters)
• Pantabangan (from 174.05 to 174.13 meters)
• Magat (from 176.08 to 176.46 meters)
• Caliraya (from 286.15 to 287.14 meters)