Reserve short; Angat Dam to keep May irrigation water quota

Despite the irrigation allocation, Angat Dam’s water quota for Metro Manila in May will still be 48 cms, the same as in April, she said. (File Photo by Albert Lozada/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

MANILA — Angat Dam will retain its irrigation water allocation of 10 cubic meters per second (cms) in May, even if its dipping water level breaches the minimum operating level (MOL) of 180 meters before that month.

This is to ensure the availability of irrigation water for rice farms in Angat’s service areas in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces that have not yet harvested their crops, National Water Resources Board (NWRB) engineer, Bea Soriano, said Friday.

“Those plants still need water before harvest time,” Soriano said.

Despite the irrigation allocation, Angat Dam’s water quota for Metro Manila in May will still be 48 cms, the same as in April, she said.

Soriano made the assurance as hydrologists of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) expect Angat Dam’s water level to dip below the MOL this weekend.

Angat’s 6 a.m. water level on Friday already dipped to 180.73 meters, 6.2 meters lower than the desired 186.93 meters for the day, PAGASA hydrologist Jason Bausa said, noting that the dam’s water level has been dipping this week by an average 0.50 meters.

“We expect Angat’s water level to breach the MOL by Sunday,” he said.

Soriano said Angat Dam’s irrigation water allocation this April is 35 cms.

The NWRB reduced the allocation for May as projected demand for irrigation water would be lesser, she added.