Angat Dam, which has been at a critical water level since early July, saw a 3.48-meter rise on Thursday following a series of rains attributable to a low-pressure area (LPA) and other weather systems, in line with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
This brought the dam’s water level from 150.85 meters on Wednesday to 154.33 meters as of 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, PAGASA said in its dam information bulletin.
Nonetheless, it stays below the 160-meter critical operating level and has yet to get better since July 4, based on the dam’s historical data.
The over 3-meter increase in Angat Dam’s water level was because of the moderate rains recorded over the past 24 hours brought by the LPA, said Rosalie C. Pagulayan, assistant weather services chief of PAGASA.
She added that light rains have also been recorded over the dam’s watershed since July 23.
“These light rains influenced the soil moisture in addition to the hydrological response of the watershed,” Ms. Pagulayan told BusinessWorld via Messenger.
She also said that Angat Dam’s water level may proceed its upward trend if rains from localized thunderstorms fall inside the watershed.
“There might be localized thunderstorms that would also bring rain. If that may fall inside the watershed, a slight increase could likewise be expected,” Ms. Pagulayan said.
As of 4:00 p.m., PAGASA said thunderstorms may affect the Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region because of the easterlies inside the following 24 hours.
The remaining of the country can also experience localized thunderstorms throughout the same period.
PAGASA cautioned the general public against possible flooding and landslides during severe thunderstorms. — Edg Adrian A. Eva