Dams releasing water may add to flood, but prevents collapse

The release of Ipo dam’s water is a precautionary step to prevent further disaster due to the torrential rains brought by the Super Typhoon Carina (Gaemi)-enhanced Southwest Monsoon on July 24, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“Yung ang iniiwasan nila (dam operators), yung mag-collapse yung dam…Maraming mamamatay or maraming mawawasak [The dam operators are trying to prevent the dam from collapsing. Many people could die, or a lot of property could be destroyed],” PAGASA’s Hydrologist Juan Elmer S. Caringal said in a phone interview.

The release of dam waters is one of the preservation measures, as most Luzon dams are over 50 years old, which exceeds the United Nations’ recommended safe age limit, he explained.

Mr. Caringal also noted that the release of water from Ipo Dam coincided with the continuous torrential rains.

“Yung pinakawalan ng Ipo, maliit lang naman na volume… ang nangyari nga lang kasabay (ito) ng malalakas na pagulan. So, kung baha na is nadagdagan pa ng kaunti [The amount of water released by Ipo Dam was actually quite small, but it coincided with heavy rainfall. So, it adds a bit if it’s already flooding],” he explained.

Dams in Luzon also function as floodgates, regulating the volume of rainfall from mountains and watersheds before it is released into various waterways in Luzon, Mr. Caringal added.

On July 24, Ipo released 61 cubic meters per second (cms) of dam waters in Bulacan as its level increased slightly to 101.53 meters from its normal high-water level of 101.00 meters, according to the report of PAGASA.

Meanwhile, at least 207 areas across 16 cities and municipalities in Bulacan were affected by the onslaught of the Super Typhoon Carina-enhanced Southwest Monsoon and the earlier Typhoon Butchoy.

Areas including Balagtas, Bocaue, Bulakan, City of San Jose Del Monte, Calumpit, Guiguinto, Paombong, Pandi, Malolos City, Hagonoy, and other key municipalities, according to the report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Wednesday.

The Governor of Bulacan appealed to the national government to construct a mega dike project extending from Bataan to Cavite.

“Mataas ang dagat sa atin, lubog na tayo talaga… Ganon ang ginawa ng Korea, talagang gumawa sila ng mahabang mahabang mega dike para i-block (ang baha) [The sea level is high here, and we are really flooded… That’s what Korea did; they built a long, extensive mega dike to block the flooding],” Daniel R. Fernando, Bulacan Governor said in an interview fr TV5.

Since last year, Mr. Fernando has been pushing for the Bataan, Cavite mega dikes which he believes will be the permanent solution to Bulacan’s flooding problem. – Edg Adrian A. Eva