Angat Dam level now 1 meter below critical irrigation level, and still plunging

The water level at Angat Dam in Bulacan has fallen more than one meter below the 180-meter critical level for irrigation, state weather agency PAGASA said Monday.

 

PAGASA said that as of 6 a.m. Monday, the water level at Angat Dam was at 178.45 meters, 0.26 meter lower than the 178.71 meters on Sunday.

 

It was also more than a meter below the 180-meter critical level for irrigation, which was breached last May 26.

 

But PAGASA hydrologist Elmer Caringal, in an interview on dzBB radio last week, said the present projection indicates rain may start falling by mid-June.

 

For now, he appealed to Metro Manila residents to conserve water.

 

Last year, the water supply from Angat for irrigation was cut after its water level fell below 180 meters.

 

Angat supplies more than 90 percent of the water needs of Metro Manila, though the critical level for drinking water is 160 meters.

 

The dam has a normal high level of 212 meters.

 

Meanwhile, water levels in two major dams in Luzon fell as of Monday, including:

 

- Ipo, 100.07 from 100.63 meters Sunday

- Binga, 569.51 from 569.91 meters Sunday

 

The water level at La Mesa Dam remained steady from Sunday at 78.92 meters.

 

Water levels in the following major dams rose compared to Sunday:

 

- Ambuklao: 744.58 from 744.22 meters Sunday

- San Roque: 239.9 from 239.7 meters Sunday

- Pantabangan: 179.63 from 179.6 meters Sunday

- Magat: 186.2 from 185.83 meters Sunday

- Caliraya: 288.35 from 287.61 meters Sunday

 

— Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News