Water levels in Luzon dams below normal

The water levels of eight dams in Luzon continued to drop amid the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, the latest monitoring of the hydro meteorological division of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) showed.

- BELLA CARIASO

As of 6 a.m. yesterday, the water level of Angat Dam had dropped by 0.23 meters after it reached 203.25 meters from the previous level of 203.48 meters. This is 8.75 meters below the normal high water level of 212 meters.

But even with the decrease, Angat Dam is still 23.25 meters above its minimum water level of 180 meters. The dam supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila's potable water needs and provides for the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces.

The hydro-meteorological division monitoring report also shows a decline in the water elevations of seven other Luzon dams.

The La Mesa Dam in Quezon City reached 76.95 meters or 0.15 meters less compared to its previous level of 77.10 meters. In Benguet province, the Ambuklao Dam is at 747.74 meters, or 0.07 meters less compared to its previous level of 747.81 meters, while its Binga Dam in Benguet is at 570.67 meters or 0.24 meters less compared to its previous level of 570.91 meters.