San Roque Dam opens gates as Pepito hits Luzon

PREMPTIVE MEASURE. The San Roque Dam in San Manuel town, Pangasinan province. The dam’s two spillway gates were opened a total of 3.5 meters since 1 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2024 to lower its reservoir level and address inflows as Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) brings in more water. (Photo courtesy of NPC/SRPC)

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan — The San Roque Dam’s two spill gates were opened a total of 3.5 meters on Sunday to continuously release water as Super Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi) batters Luzon.

The dam’s spill gate 2A was opened 2.5 meters while the 2B gate was opened 2 meters, with outflows of 749.65 cubic meters per second, starting 1 a.m.

This is to draw down the reservoir water level in anticipation of heavy inflows as Ambuklao Dam in Bokod town, and Binga Dam in Itogon town, both in Benguet province, release water, according to National Power Corporation – San Roque Dam Office flood operation manager Teresa Serra in a phone interview.

“It is an added precautionary measure. We plan to draw down (water level of the dam) at 276 meters above sea level (masl) so that when the weather disturbance is here, we do not have to hasten water release,” she said in Filipino.

Serra said the outflow including the spill and turbine is 753.15 cubic meters per second at 2:00 p.m.

“May possibility na magdagdag (there is a possibility of additional gate opening) but we try to manage as much as possible hence the pre-release,” she added.

As of 5 p.m., the National Power Corporation said water level at San Roque Dam is at 276.27 masl, still below its 280-meter spilling level.