Ipo, Ambuklao dams release water amid rains due to Pepito; Magat Dam to follow

Two dams had their gates open as of Wednesday morning to release water amid heavy rains due to Tropical Storm Pepito.

As of 6 a.m., Ipo Dam in Bulacan had its Gate 1 open at 0.20 meters, according to data from weather bureau PAGASA.

Ambuklao Dam in Benguet also had one gate open as of 6 a.m. at 0.5 meters.

At 6 a.m., Ipo Dam’s reservoir water level was at 101.05 meters, which is above the normal high water level of 101 meters.

Ambuklao Dam, meanwhile, was at 745.06 meters as of 6 a.m. This is a few meters away from the normal high water level of 752 meters.

Meanwhile, the PAGASA Hydro-Meteorological Division said Magat Dam in Isabela will release water at 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, according to a report on Dobol B sa News TV.

However, the scheduled release of water at 1 p.m. was postponed. 

The new schedule of opening of gate at Magat Dam is 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the National Irrigation Administration said, at one meter .

Below are the reservoir water level (RWL) of the other dams as of 6 a.m. Wednesday:

• Angat: 190.17 m
• La Mesa: 79.24 m
• Binga: 573.52 m
• San Roque: 244.04 m
• Pantabangan: 189.65 m
• Magat: 187.98 m
• Caliraya: 287.30 m

Only Binga and Caliraya dams showed a decrease in water level compared to Tuesday’s readings.

Tropical Storm Pepito is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains over Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, La Union, Apayao, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands on Wednesday. 

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains meanwhile will be experienced over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Pepito is forecast to move generally westward over the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday, before slowing down and turning northwestward. It will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Thursday morning or afternoon. —KG, GMA News