Dams releasing water in anticipation of coming rains
MANILA, Philippines – Several majors dams in Luzon have kept their gates open in anticipation of more rains to be dumped by a tropical storm that was again enhancing the southwest monsoon.
Angat dam has a water level of 215.19 meters, more than five meters above the normal high water level of 210 meters, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its latest report Monday.
It has three gates opening a total of 1.5 meters to gradually release water that had accumulated due to incessant rains the previous week, Roy Badilla, Pagasa Hydrologist said in a phone interview.
Angat had not opened any gates at that time in order to prevent aggravating the already severe flooding situation in several areas of Bulacan, Badilla said.
He added that only scattered and light rains have been monitored in the upstream areas of Bulacan.
Ipo dam, which is downstream from Angat dam, has three gates opened. Its water level was 100.3 meters, just half a meter below the 100.8 normal high water level.
Ambuklao has two gates opening 1.5 meters and releasing 244 cubic meters per second of water. Its water level was 751.38 meters, around half a meter below the normal high water level (NHWL) of 752 meters.
Binga dam which sits downstream from Ambuklao has three gates opening 2.5 meters and releasing 344 cubic meters per second of water. Its water level was 574.74 meters, below the NHWL of 575 meters.
San Roque dam, which was receiving water from Ambuklao and Binga, has one gate open half a meter and was releasing 330 cubic meters per second of water. Its water level was 280.32 meters, above the NHWL of 280 meters.
The water level in these dams are gradually being lowered ahead of anticipated rains so they would not have to release water at the same time as the rains, Badilla said.
