Pantabangan Dam may hit critical level by end-April

Pantabangan Dam may hit critical level by end-April

MANILA, Philippines — The water level in Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija may reach critical level by the end of April, affecting irrigation supply, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PAGASA hydrologist Richard Orindain said the dam’s water level could go down to 175.97 meters before the end of April,  or 1.03 meters less than its low water level of 177 meters.

“It is possible that it will drop to low level by the end of April… it will be (operating) in a negative level,” Orindain said.

The dam supplies the irrigation needs of Nueva Ecija, the largest rice producer in Central Luzon. The province is considered as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines.”

As of 6 a.m. yesterday, the water level in Pantabangan was down to 178.31 meters, or 0.32 meters lower than its previous level of 178.63 meters.

The figure was 42.69 meters below the dam’s normal high water level of 221 meters.

“It means the current water level of Pantabangan Dam is too low and will affect irrigation supply and power generation,” Orindain said.

The Pantabangan-Masiway Hydroelectric Power Plant (PHEPP) will stop operation once the water elevation nears critical level.

PHEPP operations officer Ronald Salvador earlier said the water level should remain at 221 meters for the power plant to continue working.

The water level must be at least 207 meters for the plant to generate a full capacity of 120 megawatts.