The water elevation at Angat Dam in Bulacan has rebounded by almost five meters from its all-time low recorded last week, with state meteorologists predicting potential further gains as rainfall continues over the watershed area, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on Monday, August 3.
As of 8:00 a.m. Monday, the reservoir’s water level reached 155.41 meters—a notable recovery from the record-low 150.6 meters logged on July 25.
During a press briefing, Engr. Socrates Paat Jr., head of PAGASA’s Hydrometeorology Division, noted that while the reservoir’s elevation has been climbing, the upward trend has seen slight fluctuations.
“Umangat ang elevation ng Angat for more than a week na,” Paat said.
“Dahil mataas ang confidence natin sa mga pag-ulan, malakas din ang possibility na aangat pa further yung elevation ng Angat Dam,” Paat said.
Watershed Saturation and Operating Deficit
Despite the general upward trajectory, PAGASA hydrologist Jofren Habaluyas pointed out a slight 0.04-meter dip in the reservoir’s level over the preceding 24 hours. However, he emphasized that the overall trend across the past few days points to positive recovery, likely driven by ground conditions surrounding the reservoir.
“So tinitignan namin based sa aming analysis, possible na baka yung watershed ng Angat is saturated na. So kung ano man na yung rainfall na ma-receive is madali yung magiging reaction or translation niya dito sa storage ng tubig sa dam,” Habaluyas said.
Despite recent gains, the dam remains significantly depleted:
- Current Deficit: 24.93 meters below the normal operational rule curve elevation of 180.34 meters.
- Required Rainfall: Approximately 470 millimeters of accumulated rainfall is needed to restore normal operating levels.
Continued Water Conservation Urged
PAGASA officials advised the public against complacency, stressing that the dam remains critical despite recent rain-driven gains. Paat warned that while water levels are projected to keep rising, the daily volume increases may be modest.
“Patuloy tayo magtipid sa tubig para itong mga nababawi na ating mga increases in water level na ito ay hindi mabilis ang pagdeplete,” Paat said.