Isabela's Magat Dam is now out of the critical level after water level increased to nine meters, officials said Friday. Dr. Susan Espinueva, chief hydrometeorologist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the water level of Magat Dam increased to 171.68 meters Friday from 162.09 meters last Thursday. The current level of the dam is barely 3.32 meters below its normal operating level, from 13.02 meters last Thursday. Magat Dam's water level was declared critical in March when it was 25 meters below its standard level. "With its current level of 171.68 meters, we can say that the dam is now out of critical level because it can already provide water for power and irrigation needs," Espinueva told the Manila Bulletin. The dam serves as hydroelectric power generator, producing 360 megawatts of power, and provides irrigation to the agricultural lands of Cordillera, Ilocos Region, and Cagayan Valley. The power supply component of the dam was shut down in April due to extremely low water level of 150 meters caused by the prevailing El Niño phenomenon. "Rains have been continuous during the past few days in Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao and even Isabela, which contributed to the sudden increase in the dam's elevation," Espinueva said. "The elevation of Magat Dam has been consistently escalating since the latter part of March and first week of April due to intermittent rains," she noted. Espinueva said that the favorable elevation of Magat Dam for it to adequately supply the irrigation needs of farmers would be 156 meters, while it is 154 meters for power supply. Meanwhile, Angat Dam in Bulacan, which supplies the domestic water supply of 97 percent of Metro Manila residents, is still operating under a critical level of 171.68 meters Friday, which is 12.82 meters short of its normal level. Angat Dam also provides the irrigation requirements of 27,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga. "While the level of Angat Dam is still at a low level, the priority right now is to ensure enough supply of domestic water in Metro Manila," Espinueva said. She noted that the rate of decline in Angat Dam's elevation is at 15 to 20 centimeters per day. "For the irrigation requirements of farmers in Bulacan and Pampanga, we are still awaiting the onset of rainy season before they can start planting for the wet cropping season," she added. PAGASA expects that rainy season will begin either in the first or second week of June.
