The National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MARIIS) announced it has opened its gates by at least 200 cubic meters per second (cms) to maintain a safe water level in the reservoir amid a heavy downpour brought about by the northeast monsoon.
In a Facebook post on Thursday morning, the NIA-MARIIS reminded residents near the Magat River that the dam would be opening its gates at 10 a.m.
“Mula sa dalawang daang metro kubiko bawat segundo [200 cms] ang pakakawalan, ito ay maaaring madagdagan depende sa lakas ng ulan sa magat watershed,” the NIA-MARIIS post read. (We will release water at a rate of at least 200 cms, which can increase depending on the rainfall in the Magat Watershed.)
The NIA told the BusinessMirror that as of 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, 2021, Magat Dam’s reservoir level was at 192.14 meters above sea level (MASL), just 0.86 meter from its 193 MASL spilling level. The reservoir inflow at that time was at 342 cms while outflow was at 342 cms, based on NIA data.
NIA data showed that one spillway gate remained open as of 2 p.m. Thursday at a rate of 195 cms.
“We are doing this as a precautionary measure. There’s no more rainfall in the area,” NIA spokesman Eden Selva said via SMS.
The NIA-MARIIS said it had received an advisory for a commencement of flood precaution period flood warning zone in the Magat River Basin from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) Chief of the Hydro-Meteorology Division Engr. Roy A. Badilla.
The NIA-MARIIS added that the advisory was also submitted to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC-Isabela) and Pagasa-CRFFC Tuguegarao, Cagayan.
“In reply to this Advisory, the Dam and Reservoir Division [DRD] confirmed to Pagasa that its warning equipment and facilities of the Flood Forecasting are in normal and operational condition. Further, flood forecasting personnel were dispatched downstream of the Magat Dam. Hence, DRD is ready to receive Pagasa’s further information,” it said.