Angat Dam water level drops to 190 meters

April 1, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The water level in Angat Dam in Bulacan decreased to 190.03 meters yesterday due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon and the dry season, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PAGASA said that as of 6 a.m. yesterday, the dam’s water level was down by 9.20 meters from the previous day’s 199.23 meters.

The figure was 12.97 below Angat’s normal high water level of 212 meters, but still 19.23 above its minimum operating level of 180 meters.

PAGASA hydrologist Richard Orindain earlier said that Angat’s water elevation could further go down to below its minimum operating level of 180 meters in June.

Orindain said that by the end of this month, the elevation could decrease to 189 meters, and to 182.73 meters in May, which is lower than the dam’s rule curve.

Angat Dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs. It also provides water for irrigating 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

Aside from Angat, other Luzon dams that are also experiencing decreasing water levels are Ambuklao in Benguet, San Roque in Pangasinan and Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija.

Orindain said the water level in Pantabangan Dam might drop to its critical level by the end of April.

Pantabangan supplies the irrigation needs of Nueva Ecija, the largest rice producer in Central Luzon and considered as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines.”  

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has highlighted the importance of water in achieving peace, stability and development.

National Water Resources Board executive director Ricky Azardon said the NWRB aims to attain water security for all and ensure that every community has access to fundamental resources.

“The challenge for each of us here is to uphold our official capacity relentlessly despite complexities along the way,” Azardon said during the World Water Day 2024 Exhibit held recently at the Quezon City Hall.

World Water Day is observed annually to raise awareness on the importance of water and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.