The water level at Angat Dam has breached its minimum operating threshold due to the relentless dry season heat gripping the country, forcing authorities to scale back water allocations for agricultural irrigation, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) announced Saturday.
According to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the dam’s water level slid to 178.21 meters as of 8 a.m. on May 16, down from the 178.52 meters recorded the previous day.
NWRB Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. confirmed that the reservoir has officially dipped below its 180-meter minimum operating level.
“Opo, sa kasalukuyan po, ang kalagayan po ng level ng Angat Dam ay nasa 178 meters. So ito po ay mababa na doon sa minimum operating level na sinasabi po natin na 180 meters,” David said in a radio interview.
“So, bagamat masasabi po nating manageable ang situation, pero nasa panahon po tayo na kailangan ng mabusising pag-monitor po at maagap na management po noong level kasi nga po patuloy po itong bumababa,” he added, noting that the dam’s normal high-water mark sits at 212 meters.
Metro Manila Supply Prioritized; Irrigation Curtailed
Despite the downward trend, David assured residents that Metro Manila’s domestic water supply remains secure for now, as municipal consumption is actively being prioritized over other uses.
“Manageable po siya kung ang water supply po sa Metro Manila ang pinag-uusapan po natin. Kasi sa ganito pong sitwasyon, mas binibigyan po natin ang prioridad ang domestic water supply para po sa Metro Manila at karatig probinsya,” David explained.
However, the agricultural sector is already feeling the pinch. Water releases for crop irrigation have been systematically reduced and face a total suspension by next week if the decline persists.
“Pero po sabi nga po dahil mababa na siya sa minimum operating level ay kailangan na rin po natin i-regulate yung pagre-release ng Angat Dam sa ibang gamit po nito kagaya ng irigasyon,” David said. “Kaya sa kasalukuyan po ay binawasan na po ang alokasyon para sa irigasyon po. At by next week po, baka po i-suspend na natin yung pag-release po sa irigasyon.”
The NWRB chief clarified that the looming irrigation cutoff is not expected to trigger immediate crop damage, given that many farming communities are already entering their harvest phase.
“Pero hindi naman po makakaapekto sa ngayon yan kasi nga po ay halos nasa pag-aani na po sila,” he noted.
El Niño Looms Over Dam Recovery
The water agency also raised the alarm over the impending El Niño phenomenon, which climate models suggest could develop between June and July and persist into next year. The weather pattern threatens to suppress the rainfall needed to replenish the region’s primary watersheds.
“Tama po yun. Kailangan na rin po natin maghanda na unang-una po dahil patuloy siyang bumababa dahil na po ng summer at ito po kasing pangamba ng El Niño na possible pong pumasok nitong mga buwan ng June or July na aabot hanggang sa susunod na taon,” David warned. “Ang ibig po kasing sabihin ng pag may El Niño ay baka po magkaroon ng kabawasan doon sa mga pag-ulan na mararanasan po natin. Kaya kung wala hoc masyadong pag-ulan, baka hindi makarecover ng maayos yung mga dams po natin, particular itong Angat Dam.”
In light of the grim forecast, the NWRB urged the public to immediately practice strict water conservation to stretch the remaining supply into the critical months ahead.
Scorching Temperatures Persist
The hydrological strain coincides with an ongoing heatwave across the archipelago. On May 15, PAGASA reported that dangerous heat indices ranging from 42°C to 51°C were recorded in parts of the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and sections of Visayas and Mindanao.
Ana Liza Solis, chief of PAGASA’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, highlighted that coastal and low-lying zones are enduring the worst of the heat stress due to suffocating humidity levels. Earlier in the month, Borongan logged the season’s highest heat index so far, peaking at a scorching 48°C on May 11.