Magat dam releases water as heavy inflow expected due to northeast monsoon

Magat Dam in Isabela opened one of its gates at one meter on Thursday as heavy inflow due to northeast monsoon is expected.

In a situationer, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the opening of one gate at one meter in the said dam 10 a.m. Thursday as it forecasts 5 to 15 millimeters (mm) average rainfall until 8 a.m. Friday.

Magat Dam Situationer
as of 12:00 PM, 25 March 2021 pic.twitter.com/IlNhj0sLN8

— PAGASA-DOST (@dost_pagasa) March 25, 2021

As of Thursday, 11 a.m., PAGASA measured 192.15 meters above mean sea level (AMSL) water level in Magat Dam.

The state weather bureau said “dam elevation is expected to slightly increase further.”

With one gate open at one meter, PAGASA measured 373 cubic meter per second (CMS) total outflow.

The PAGASA situationer also identified municipalities of Ramon, San Mateo, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Burgos, Naguilian, and Gamu in Isabela as areas that are “likely to be affected” by the water release from Magat Dam.

It advised local disaster risk reduction and management councils to take appropriate actions on the said water release.

The National Irrigation Administration Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) also issued a pre-release notice on Thursday.

“Reservoir elevation needs to be lowered in anticipation of the expected heavy inflow due to NORTHEAST MONSOON,” the Notice on Dam Discharge Warning Operation of NIA-MRIIS read.—AOL, GMA News