Gates of Ambuklao, San Roque, Magat dams remain open despite less rainfall — PAGASA

The gates of Ambuklao, San Roque, and Magat Dams are still open despite the lower amount of rainfall over parts of Luzon, the state weather bureau PAGASA said on Tuesday.

“Ngayon po, diretso po yung papakawala ng tubig, kasi nga po although medyo kakaunti na pong ulan ang nao-observe dun, ayun naman po yung pagdaan ng (Bagyong) Nika, yung mga malalakas na ulan na dala niya,” said PAGASA hydrologist Elmer Caringal in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(Water cotinues to be released from the dams, although we observed that there is lesser amount of rainfall, Nika is expected to bring heavy rainfall.)

Severe Tropical Storm Nika is about to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Tuesday afternoon after it brought rains to Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

PAGASA said that they are closely monitoring Magat Dam.

“Ang atin pong binabantayan is itong Magat, because yung Magat is nasa bandang Isabela which is nabagsakan po siya ng maraming pag-ulan. So medyo marami pong tubig ang pinapakawalan kasi kailangan para hindi maabot niya ang normal high na 193 [meters]  kaya medyo maraming tubig ang pinapakawalan,” said Caringal.

(We are monitoring Magat, which is near Isabela, because this was heavily affected by the storm. So we need to release more water to avoid reaching the normal high of 193 meters.)

Further, the gates of Magat dam will remain open with the threat of Tropical Storm Ofel and the expected arrival of Tropical Cyclone Pepito.

“Siguro continuous pa rin po yung pagpapakawala nila, but this time unti-unti na lang muna para hindi naman sumadsad yung tubig. Kasi itong mga dams natin kailangan ng tubig for power generation…Desisyon na po ‘yun ng mga dam managements natin kung paano kokontrolin yung mga tubig sa mga dam natin,” said Caringal.

(The gates of the dams will remain open to release water but this will be done gradually because these dams still need enough water for power generation… It would be up to the dam managements on how to control the release of water.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News