It will take a month to refill Angat dam

Angat Dam. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ARNOLD ALMACEN

MANILA, Philippines—While the water level at Angat Dam continued to dip, the weather bureau said it would take just a month of heavy rains to replenish it and bring it up to normal after the dry spell.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Hydrometeorology Division said that as of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the water level at the dam was at 179.47 meters, just below the critical level of 180 meters.

Hydrologist Edgar de la Cruz told the Inquirer that while the water for the irrigation of Bulacan and Pampanga farms had been cut off, he doubted Metro Manila residents would have to resort to water rationing.

“Maybe if the level dips below 160 meters. But I think it would take two months before domestic consumption is affected,” De la Cruz said, adding that by then the habagat (southwest monsoon) would have set in.

As to how much rain would be needed to bring Angat’s water level back up to normal which is 210 meters, De la Cruz said: “It would take 1,300 millimeters of rain. Maybe that could be attained if it rains every day for one month, contributing 50 millimeters daily to the dam.”