As the country continues to sizzle due to El Niño, the water level at the Angat Dam has dropped below the minimum operational level, prompting officials to declare cuts in water distribution for irrigation and Metro Manila consumers.
According to records from the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), the dam's water height was 179.94 meters as of 8 a.m. on July 8, compared to 180.41 meters the day before, and 180 meters is the minimum operating level.
Sevillo David Jr., executive director of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), said that a reduction in the Angat dam's water level below the 180-meter mark would necessitate a change in the board's water allotment.
Earlier, David stated that if the Angat water level drops below 180 meters, Metro Manila would be given precedence in water supply.
With the elevation of Angat Dam currently below the minimum operational level, 25,000 hectares of rice farms in Bulacan and Pampanga face reduced water allocation for irrigation.
On June 16, the NWRB authorized 40 CMS water allocations for farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.
Farmers are concerned about the impact of reduced irrigation allocations on crops this planting season.
They must request permission from the NWRB if they want to install shallow tube wells to supplement their irrigation supply, according to David.
Even before Angat Dam's water level dropped below the normal operating level, the NWRB warned the MWSS, NIA, and the two water concessionaires of the potential water allotment reduction.
David stated that further allocation reduction or a restoration to normal allocation would be dependent on weather circumstances, as the NWRB wishes to avoid scenarios like the one that occurred in 2019 when the level of Angat Dam dropped to less than 160 meters.
He stated that the start of El Niño has made water conservation even more important.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had previously issued the same request because of the country's severe drought.
According to PAGASA, the effects of El Niño will be noticeable from December this year to next year.
