Pangasinan’s San Roque Dam breaches spilling level
The San Roque Dam in the Philippines has reached its mandatory spilling level, though officials have kept the gates closed to prevent downstream flooding. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as heavy monsoon rains continue to cause significant infrastructure and agricultural damage across the region.
Why it matters
Dam management is a vital public safety issue, especially during monsoon seasons when infrastructure failure or overflow can lead to catastrophic flooding.
URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan, Philippines - The water level at San Roque Dam breached the mandatory spilling level yesterday, but the National Power Corp. (NPC) clarified that all spillway gates remain closed.
Teresa Serra, NPC dam management division manager, said opening the spillway would put communities in San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Asingan, Sta. Maria, Rosales, Villasis, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, Bayambang, San Carlos City, Mangatarem, Urbiztondo, Aguilar, Bugallon, Labrador and Lingayen, all in Pangasinan, on heightened alert.
Serra said the NPC has no current plans to open the spillway gates, but urged dam managers to closely monitor the continuing rise in the reservoir level and high inflow of water.
According to Serra, the reservoir's water elevation reached 280.52 meters as of noon yesterday, with the level rising at an average rate of 0.17 meter per hour.
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