Rains aid water buildup at Luzon dams

MANILA, Philippines – The water levels at Magat, Pantabangan, and Angat dams are safe and well below spilling level despite rains through the weekend, according to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

Agency administrator Antonio Nangel said in a text message that these dams in fact should store more water until October 2011 in order to ensure enough irrigation for farms and water for households during the dry season cropping in 2012.

As of Monday, Nangel said, the elevation in Magat Dam in Isabela was at 183 meters. Spilling level at the dam is 193 meters.

Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija attained a water level at 181 meters, still below the spilling level at 221 meters.

Angat Dam in Bulacan, which has been supplying water to Metro Manila households, had an elevation of 193 meters as of Monday, still below spilling level at 212 meters, Nangel said.

“So far as of today all our dams are safe,” he said on Monday.

Nangel said NIA employees have strictly been observing their Dam Operations Manual for flood control to prevent untoward incidents in downstream areas.

“The elevation at these dams are still low as of today. We need more water to be stored,” he added.

In 2010, an extended drought resulted in low water levels at the dams, making farm irrigation difficult in surrounding areas.

The 30-year-old Magat Dam serves about 67,000 hectares of farmland in Isabela province and part of Quirino and generates hydroelectric power that is supplied to the Luzon grid.

Pantabangan system serves Nueva Ecija and Angat Dam, which serves Bulacan farms and households in Metro Manila, is mainly tapped for domestic water use.