Angat Dam water level still receding

The water level in Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan dropped to 185.65 meters on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, close it its minimum operating level of 180 meters. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUAN

(UPDATES) ANGAT DAM'S water level has continued to drop despite the onset of the rainy season, but the state weather bureau on Friday expressed optimism that elevations would gradually recover in the coming weeks.

Administrator Nathaniel Servando of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) told The Manila Times (via Viber that the water level in Angat Dam, the main source of water supply for Metro Manila and adjoining provinces for irrigation, remains below its normal high water level (NHWL) of 210 meters.

As of June 20, there was no decrease in water elevation due to rain from thunderstorms over the last 24 hours, Servando said.

"But its 176.62-meter reservoir water level (RWL) was still way below its NHWL or its rule curve elevation (RCE) of 182.47 meters," he added.

The agency defines RCE as the minimum reservoir elevation that dam operators must maintain to ensure water availability for irrigation, power generation and domestic use.

"We could notice the low water level in our dams, especially Angat, due to the less rain fall within the basin or catchment area, although relatively slower compared to the previous weeks prior to the declaration of onset of the rainy season," Servando said.

One big factor in the dams' low water level was the "weak" southwest monsoon (habagat) due to the absence of tropical cyclones inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) late last month and early this June, he said.

"But in the coming weeks, we expect the dam elevation to gradually recover," he added.

Pagasa said that normally, starting July of every year, water elevations of major dams normalize as higher volume of rainfall is expected from tropical cyclones occurring more often until the last quarter of the year.

Fair weather

Most parts of the Philippines will experience fair weather with some isolated rain showers brought about by the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, Pagasa said.

Pagasa's weather specialist Daniel James Villamil said habagat would continue to prevail in the entire archipelago in the coming days.

He reiterated that generally, fair weather would be likely in most parts of the country within the next 24 hours, except for isolated downpours or thunderstorms in some areas.

In particular, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be experienced in Quezon province; Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan); Bicol Region; Visayas; and Mindanao.

The same weather system would be affecting Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Zambales and Bataan where partly cloudy to overcast skies would prevail.

Meanwhile, the rest of Luzon would likely have isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, Pagasa said.