Proactive Water Level Management at Key Philippine Dams

In a significant development for water management in the Philippines, the Angat, Ipo, and Ambuklao dams have opened their floodgates. This decision, guided by the state weather bureau PAGASA, was taken on Monday morning to manage the water levels in these critical reservoirs. At Angat Dam, two gates were opened, resulting in a slight decrease in water level from 213.40 meters on Sunday to 213 meters by Monday morning. Despite this, the level remains above the normal high water mark of 212 meters. Interestingly, just the previous day, three gates of the dam were opened wider at 1.5 meters.

The situation at Ipo Dam also reflects careful water level management, with one gate opened to a 0.7-meter width. Although this led to a minor increase in the water level from 100.82 to 100.87 meters, it remains slightly below its standard high water level of 101 meters. Similarly, at Ambuklao Dam, a single gate was opened by 0.3 meters, causing a marginal reduction in water level from 751.93 to 751.76 meters, just under its normal high of 752 meters.

These actions are part of broader water management efforts across the region. Other dams like Binga, Magat, and Caliraya have seen increased water levels, while San Roque and Pantabangan dams recorded decreases. La Mesa Dam’s water level, however, remained constant at 79.81 meters​​.