Manila Times/Manila
An expert believes the prevailing El Nino phenomenon won’t significantly affect availability of water in Angat Dam which supplies some 97% of water in Metro Manila.
Max Peralta, a senior hydrologist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) made the assessment, noting Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan has enough water to meet Metro Manila’s needs until May when the dry season normally ends and the wet season begins.
“Angat’s water level is high so that dam has water sufficient for the next two to three months despite El Nino,” he said this week.
He has urged people to conserve water, however, so they can help ensure availability of this commodity for all.
Latest available Pagasa data as of 6am March 20 show Angat’s water level at 198.55 metres.The data also show the water level is 5.60 metres higher than the 192.95-metre rule curve for the same day.
Pagasa said rule curve is the desired water level to satisfy Angat’s purpose which is to provide water for domestic use, irrigation and power generation.
The National Water Resources Board earlier set daily rule curves to control withdrawal of Angat’s water so this commodity can still be available for supply to Metro Manila, noted Pagasa.
Experts describe the drought-driving El Nino as a condition characterised by unusually warm ocean temperature in the equatorial Pacific.They also said El Nino is the opposite of La Nina, a condition marked by unusually cold ocean temperature.
This March, Pagasa announced computer models indicating El Nino already in progress.“Consensus among computer models indicate a weak El Nino is likely to manifest in the coming months,” Pagasa clarified.
El Nino’s adverse impacts on the Philippines are below-normal rainfall and higher-than-normal temperatures in varying degrees from place to place and time to time, warned Pagasa.
Peralta expects Angat to receive some rainfall after May, saying the precipitation-driving southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ will prevail by then.
