MANILA – Magat Dam in northern Luzon may again spill or release excess water in the coming days as the tail-end of frontal system (TEFS) may affect northern Luzon for several days and bring rain that can increase the reservoir’s normal water level.
“Light but continuous rain will already raise Magat’s water level,” Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hydrologist Edgar dela Cruz said.
He also said hour-long rain from a severe TEFS thunderstorm that may affect Magat watershed can already result in an estimated 1 meter-high rise in the water level.
Magat has been releasing excess water to prevent it from rising beyond the normal level and preserve the dam’s structural integrity.
In its daily weather forecast on Thursday, PAGASA said TEFS may bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to northern Luzon’s Cordillera Administrative Region and Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) as well as Region 3 (Central Luzon), and Metro Manila aside from Quezon and Rizal provinces.
Some of the expected thunderstorms may be severe enough to bring moderate with at times heavy rainfall that can trigger either flash floods or landslides, PAGASA weather forecaster Ana Clauren said.
The forecast weather can prevail in northern Luzon during the next four days, she said.
PAGASA reported Magat Dam’s 6 a.m. water level on Thursday at 190.17 meters, which is 2.83 meters below the normal high level.
Magat fills up easily since it’s a small dam receiving much water from the large watershed where the facility is, so resumption of spilling operation is possible as TEFS is affecting northern Luzon, dela Cruz noted.
According to PAGASA, Magat terminated its last spilling operation on Dec. 30 last year.
Dela Cruz also warned about possible flash floods and landslides in northern Luzon due to TEFS rain.
He said rains can also increase water in waterways and cause these channels to overflow.
Water overflowing from the waterways will spill into and possibly flood nearby areas, he said.
Meanwhile, PAGASA said Region 2 waterways particularly likely to be TEFS-affected are Isabela province’s Dikatayan, Divilacan and Palanan-Pinacanauan; Cagayan province’s Linao, Lower Abulug, Lower Pamplona, Cabicungan, Aunugay, Baua, Palawig and Taboan as well as all rivers and tributaries in Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya provinces. (PNA)
