The National Irrigation Administration–Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MARIIS) announced that spillway gates at Magat Dam will remain open due to the expected heavy rainfall brought by Super Typhoon Uwan.

In an interview with Bombo Radyo Cauayan, Engr. Gileu Michael Dimoloy, Department Manager of NIA-MARIIS, confirmed that the current water elevation of Magat Dam stands at 182 meters above sea level.

At this level, the dam can accommodate between 150 to 200 millimeters of rainfall without exceeding safe limits.

Dimoloy added that pre-emptive water releases began on November 6 as part of precautionary measures ahead of the typhoon’s impact.

Currently, three spillway gates are open at five meters each, with further adjustments under evaluation depending on rainfall and inflow conditions tomorrow.

NIA-MARIIS is closely monitoring rainfall gauges and inflow levels from the Magat River, particularly from the mountainous areas of Nueva Vizcaya and the Cordillera Administrative Region, which are expected to contribute significant water volume.

Magat Dam is one of the largest multipurpose dams in the Philippines, located along the Magat River at the boundary of Ifugao and Isabela. Construction began in 1975 and was completed in 1982 under Presidential Decree No. 693 signed by then President Ferdinand Marcos.

It was built primarily to provide irrigation for about 85,000 hectares of farmland, generate hydroelectric power with a 360 MW capacity, and control flooding in the Cagayan River basin.

The project was jointly financed by the Philippine government and the World Bank, making it Southeast Asia’s first large-scale multipurpose dam.