RAMON, Isabela — The National Irrigation Administration – Magat River Integrated Irrigation system (NIA–MRIIS) has started releasing some of its stored water in anticipation of the incoming water at the upstream of Magat reservoir.
Engr. Rodolfo Mejia, Dam and Reservoir division manager of Magat, said they started releasing at 4 a.m. Monday a total of 2,669 cubic meters per second of stored water while there are monitored inflow of 2,838 cubic meter per second.
Mejia said six spillway gates opened at 2 meters high in anticipation of the incoming water from the upstream of Magat River to prevent dam overflow.
The Magat dam official has advised the residents in low-lying areas to evacuate to safer ground as the volume of water being released may caused flooding in areas near the Magat River downstream.
He also advised the residents not to try crossing the river when its water is rising to prevent drowning.
Last Sunday, typhoon “Karen” poured a volume of rainfall in the provinces of central and northern Luzon, causing water in rivers, creeks and other tributaries to rise.
Mejia said the water release from the dam will discontinue when lesser inflow in the upstream is monitored to ensure that enough water for crop irrigation is properly stored. PNA-northboundasia.com