Another storm headed for PH, but Angat Dam water still low
Another tropical storm was headed for the country on Friday afternoon as Tropical Depression “Henry” exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), but extreme heat continued to affect most of the country and raise alarm of a water shortage.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 4 p.m. report on Friday that “Bavi” was last located 3,190 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center.
Pagasa said “Bavi” would likely develop into a super typhoon next week and may enter PAR by Wednesday or Thursday, but the country will be generally fair until then with easterlies affecting Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and the Visayas.
“We see this tropical storm intensifying further in the coming days and it is possible that it will enter our area of responsibility by the middle of next week,” said weather specialist Leanne Loreto, adding that Bavi will be given the local name “Inday.”
Despite Bavi and Henry, however, farmers expressed concern that the start of the wet season is shaping up to be a dry one with the low water level of Angat Dam, which irrigates most of Central Luzon and provides water to Metro Manila’s more than 14 million residents.
As of 8 a.m. Friday, Angat Dam’s water level was at 160.10 meters above sea level (masl), slightly better than Thursday’s level of 159.95 masl, but the elevation was about 50 meters below the reservoir’s normal high water level of 210 masl.
Metro Manila water cut
The National Water Resources Board has already reduced water allocation for the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to 48 cubic meters per second (from 50 cms in June) to conserve supply.
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said that given the current operating condition of the dam, it could not supply farmers with their needs for irrigation water for the start of cropping season this month.
Enrique Carlos, head of the NIA’s Irrigation Management Office in Bulacan, said on Wednesday they can only supply Bulacan and Pampanga rice farmers dependent on Angat Dam’s water for irrigation by August and not starting on July 15, the regular target start of cropping for the wet season.
Carlos explained that Angat Dam’s elevation must reach 185 masl for the NIA to be able to release the regular 32 cms water requirements of 22,000 farmers to irrigate their more than 27,000 hectares of rice fields.
“If the level of the reservoir [does] not reach 185 masl, only about 10 cms of water could be provided to farmers. That would not suffice their needs. Farmers would just have to rely on local flows directly from the rains,” Carlos told the Inquirer. INQ
