Rains brought by a low-pressure area (LPA) boosted the water elevation of Angat Dam in Bulacan by over three meters on Thursday, July 30, according to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The dam’s water level climbed to 154.33 meters as of 8:00 AM on Thursday, up from the 150.85 meters recorded at the same time on Wednesday, July 29. The surge was driven by 70.375 millimeters of rainfall recorded over the Angat watershed during the 24-hour monitoring window.
Despite this recent increase, the reservoir remains significantly below key operational benchmarks:
- Rule Curve Elevation: At 154.33 meters, the dam is still 25.73 meters short of its 180.06-meter rule curve elevation—the target level required for optimal domestic water supply, irrigation, and power generation.
- Normal High Water Level: The reservoir remains 55.67 meters below its maximum capacity of 210 meters.
PAGASA previously noted that Angat Dam requires approximately 400 millimeters of rainfall—a volume comparable to the 24-hour rainfall brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy—just to meet its rule curve level. To reach its 210-meter normal high water level, the watershed would need roughly 1,200 millimeters of rain.
Weather authorities have stressed the urgency of replenishing the reservoir to its maximum capacity, particularly as the country prepares for the potential impacts of a weak to moderate El Niño.