ANGAT Dam’s water level rose above the critical level of 160 meters Tuesday, July 2, 2019, with readings at 160.29 meters, up from 159.85 meters on Monday.
The increase in the water level was brought about by the monsoon rains. The current levels would only last three weeks if the monsoon rains would weaken in the coming days, according to experts.
While the current level may be a welcome development, it is still below the normal level of 180 meters.
The farmers who planted this current cropping season would also need to look for other sources of water, as supply for water irrigation would only be resumed when the 180- meter level is reached.
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) would still retain the 36 cubic meters per second (CMS) allocation for domestic supply in Metro Manila as the current increase is not yet substantial to warrant a return to normal allocation levels.
The bulk of Metro Manila’s daily requirement, or 90 percent, comes from Angat Dam. The Department of Agriculture said that the domestic purpose of Angat Dam’s water would surely compete with the dam’s water if it does not reach full capacity.
Angat Dam reached its lowest level of 157.76 meters in July 2010, an El Niño year, which prompted authorities to temporarily stop operations.