Rains fail to increase Angat dam level
Angat Dam in Bulacan —CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN, Philippines — The water level at Angat Dam, which supplies the biggest bulk of Metro Manila’s water needs, continues to dip way below its normal operating level even amid intermittent rains.
This came as local governments in Bulacan province are complaining about their farmers not being served with irrigation water, leading to losses.
As of Thursday, water level was at 174.07 meters above sea level (masl), according to the latest data from the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO). This was 5 meters below the dam’s 180 masl low operating elevation.
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Strong but intermittent rains started to be experienced in Bulacan since last week, but these failed to increase the dam’s water elevation.
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“If ever it did rain, it is very insufficient to cause an increase,” said Raul Agustin of the PDRRMO.
Angat’s level was at 180.15 masl on May 10, decreasing to 179.79 masl on May 11, and down to 175.28 masl on May 25. A 5-meter drop was recorded in two weeks.
Angat’s normal high water elevation is 212 masl.
Priority
More than a month ago on April 17, its elevation was still at 190.17 masl.
By April 30, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) had stopped the release of water to farmers dependent on Angat for irrigation as it had to prioritize the needs of Metro Manila.
While some farmers already harvested their crops by then, Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad said ricefields of 258 farmers in the villages of Barihan, Santisima Trinidad, Sumapang Matanda, Sumapang Bata, Ligas and other adjacent areas were destroyed due to insufficient water supply.
He noted that Angat’s priority is to supply the needs of Metro Manila and hydroelectric power generation.
“Our farmers, our crops are the least of the priority of Angat Dam,” Natividad lamented. /cb
