San Roque Dam continues water release as Kristine dumps rain

DAM SPILL Operators of San Roque Dam in Pangasinan, shown in this photo taken in 2011, opened four floodgates to release water in excess of its normal capacity level. INQUIRER file photo / WILLIE LOMIBAO

DAGUPAN CITY — The San Roque Dam in Pangasinan province continues to release water from its reservoir through a half-meter spillway opening on Friday, discharging water at a rate of 68 cubic meters per second (cms).

Tommy Valdez, vice president for corporate responsibility at the National Power Corporation (NPC), said there has been no advisory to close the gates yet due to the continuous rain brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami), which may re-enter the Philippine area of responsibility.

According to NPC records, as of 8 a.m. Friday, the water level at San Roque Dam stood at 276.83 meters above sea level (masl), just under three meters from its spilling level of 280 masl.

The dam is currently receiving excess water from the Binga Dam, which as of 8 a.m. Friday had opened six gates, each by half a meter, with an outflow of 352.92 cms. A cubic meter is comparable to the size of a balikbayan box.

Binga Dam, in turn, is receiving water from Ambuklao Dam, which has opened four gates, also by half a meter each, releasing 259.72 cms.

Valdez assured that San Roque Dam’s current water releases do not contribute to flooding in Dagupan City, as the total discharge of 230 cms (from both the spillway and turbine releases) is significantly below the Agno River’s capacity of 1,400 cms. INQ