Bustos Dam starts water release for Central Luzon farms

MALOLOS, Philippines — Bustos Dam has started releasing irrigation supply to rice fields in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga as Angat Dam continued discharging water in the past several days.

Josephine Salazar, National Irrigation Administration-Central Luzon director, confirmed that Bustos Dam released irrigation water to its north zone irrigation service areas ahead of its Jan. 2, 2024 schedule.

“Sayang ang tubig kaya nagbukas na po tayo ng gate,” Salazar said.

She said the other service areas are scheduled to receive their irrigation supply next year, citing ongoing rehabilitation works on irrigation canals in the areas.

As of yesterday, Salazar said the water level in Bustos Dam was at 15.83 meters. The dam’s spilling level is 17.35 meters.

Sluice Gate 3 of the dam, which was raised at three meters, was discharging 80 cubic meters per second of water (cms) to its downstream river system.

Water release from Bustos Dam in the previous day was at 130 cms.

Records from the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed that the water level in Angat, Ipo and Bustos Dams were at 213.30 meters, 100.78 meters and 15.83 meters, respectively.

Angat Dam was releasing 128 cms of water and Ipo Dam, 80 cms.