San Roque Dam releases water; Pangasinan folk told to take necessary precaution
By Leonardo V. Micua
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan
Governor Amado Espino Jr. reactivated the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) anew Wednesday morning and placed it on alert status as Pangasinan was again placed under storm signal number 1 due to resurgence of now tropical storm Pepeng.
The move was also due to the gradual release of water down the lower stream of the Agno River by the San Roque Multi-purpose Project (SRMP), a big hydro-electric project along the Agno River located in San Manuel town since 12 midnight Tuesday.
It was learned that the National Power Corporation-Agno Flood Forecasting and Warning System on Dam Operation (NPC-FFWSDO) has decided at 6:45 p.m. of Tuesday to recommend the opening of the dam's one gate by one meter.
The decision to open the gate was relayed to the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), the company that built and now operates the SRMP.
However, in observance of operational guidelines and after due warning to all concerned agencies in Pangasinan, one gate of SRMP was opened by one meter only midnight Tuesday.
A report showed that this was undertaken because the Ambuklao and Binga dams in the upper stream of the Agno River are still continuously releasing water downstream that flows into San Roque.
Tomas Valdez, SRPC vice president for corporate social responsibility, confirmed at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday that the water level of San Roque dam is 286.7 meters above sea level, thus the decision to release water from SRMP's reservoir.
The normal high water level of SRMP is 280 meters. The NPC-AFFWSDO decided to release water downstream in order to protect the dam.
Valdez confirmed over Bombo Radyo Dagupan that this was only the third water release from the dam, the first one was in 2004 and the second in 2007. SRMP was operational in 2001.
He confirmed that it is still continuously raining in the Upper Agno River Watershed where Ambuklao and Binga dams are located due to the effect of Pepeng.
At the same time, San Roque Community Relations Officer Tony Calaycay informed the PPDCC in Lingayen that from 12 midnight Tuesday, the released water from the dam reached the town proper of San Manuel one hour later and by 8:00 a.m. of Wednesday the Carmen Bridge in Rosales town.
Calaycay, however, clarified that the water released from the dam traverses only the Agno River and will not affect the Sinocalan and Tagamusing rivers flowing into central Pangasinan, including Dagupan.
Being released by SRMP downstream was 175 cubic meters of water per second which, Calaycay said, was not enough to bring rapid rise of water of the Agno River.
He said that the first blast of release only increased the water level of the Agno River and its tributaries at about 10-15 centimeters or about four to six inches.
Towns in Pangasinan that are likely affected by the release of water from SRMP include San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Sta. Maria, Asingan, Villasis, Alcala, Bautista, Rosales, and Bayambang.
Calaycay believed it is not yet time for pre-emptive evacuation of residents living beside river banks and low-lying areas along the Agno River.
On orders of Governor Espino, three advanced command posts of the PDCC were established, located in Tayug, Lingayen and Alaminos City. (PNA)
Posted at: 08:56 | Add Comment
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