Angat Dam Water Level Recovers Slightly After Heavy Rains, Remains Below Critical Mark

MALOLOS, Bulacan , Philippines — Heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression Maymay and the southwest monsoon have raised the water level in Angat Dam by almost half a meter. Data from the Bulacan disaster risk reduction and management office showed that as of 2 p.m. yesterday, the water level in Angat had risen to 157. 58 meters, or higher by 49 centimeters from the previous day’s 157.09 meters. Despite the improvement, the elevation remained below Angat’s critical level of 160 meters. Angat Dam provides more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs, supplies irrigation water for rice fields in Bulacan and Pampanga, and generates hydropower for the Luzon grid. Meanwhile, Bustos Dam, also located in Bulacan, yesterday discharged water to its downstream river system after the elevation rose close to the reservoir’s spilling level of 16 meters. Local disaster management officials said that as of 11 a.m. yesterday, the elevation in Bustos was 15.82 meters or just 18 centimeters below its spilling level. Christian Manalo, acting chief of the office of the National Irrigation Administration in Central Luzon, clarified that the rise in the elevation of Bustos was due to water coming from the dam’s upstream river system, and not from Angat. Manalo said that Bustos did not release the excess water to the north and south irrigation canals. He said palay farms served by these irrigation canals are still saturated with rainwater. The excess water from Bustos flowed toward the dam’s downstream river system.