Magat Dam continues to release excess water

The rain may have stopped over the Cagayan Valley area, but Magat Dam in Isabela continued to release excess water from its reservoir Monday. Magat Dam engineer Saturnino Tenedor said the water level at the dam remained at 193.08 meters as of 9 a.m., still beyond the maximum water level of 193 meters. "Critical level pa rin (kaya) tuloy ang aming pag-release ng tubig, ngayon lang huminto ang ulan sa watershed (The water level at the dam remains at critical level so we continue to release excess water. It is only this morning that the rain stopped at the watershed)," Tenedor said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said that as of Monday morning, two gates remained open at two meters each.

Tenedor said the dam is releasing excess water at 1,000 cubic meters per second, although it had been taking in water at 1,100 cubic meters per second. But he said they do not expect the release of water to affect nearby residents. He said the released water may go to Cagayan and Magat Rivers. Also, he said they are not discounting the possibility of more rain, noting the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration had forecast more rain in the coming days. "This is a precautionary measure," he said. — RSJ, GMA News