Despite recent rains, the water level at Angat Dam has fallen below its critical level of 160 meters as June ends, according to the state weather bureau PAGASA.
Data from PAGASA showed that the dam’s water elevation dropped to 159.95 meters as of 8 a.m. on June 30.
Angat Dam supplies more than 90% of Metro Manila’s water needs and serves as a key source of irrigation for provinces such as Bulacan and Pampanga. It also generates up to 200 megawatts of electricity for the Luzon grid.
RISK OF WATER SHORTAGE
In a recent climate forum, PAGASA hydrologist Jofren Habaluyas warned that declining water levels at Angat Dam could lead to possible water shortages in Metro Manila.
Data from PAGASA showed that the dam’s water level has dropped by more than 36 meters since the onset of the warm and dry season in late March.
“[Nagkaroon] tayo ng zero allocation for irrigation since the last few weeks of May para ma-concentrate ‘yung tubig ng Angat sa domestic supply,” Habaluyas said.
PAGASA climatologists noted that Angat Dam’s water level typically replenishes during the southwest monsoon, or habagat, with recovery usually beginning by the second week of July.
The agency projects that the dam’s water level could reach 176.33 meters by the end of July and 184.45 meters by the end of August—still below its normal high level of 210 meters.
However, PAGASA warned that the expected rise may be affected by a looming strong El Niño, which is forecast to intensify between August and October and potentially become “very strong” toward the last quarter of the year through the first quarter of 2027. — Photo from Moonlit/Blogspot
