MANILA -- Pangasinan province may face a two-month drought and delayed onset of this year's rainy season due to the El Niño phenomenon but will likely still get enough irrigation water for the upcoming planting season.
"San Roque Dam has much water and can well irrigate Pangasinan's fields until rains come," Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hydrologist Richard Orendain said.
The dam's 6 a.m. water level on Thursday was at 260.38 meters, higher than the critical low of 220 meters, he said, noting that the water level is also above San Roque's 244.71-meter rule curve, enabling the dam to operate normally.
Water in Ambuklao Dam flows into Binga Dam then into San Roque, one of the world's biggest dams.
PAGASA forecast below-normal rainfall in Pangasinan this April, May and June.
Pangasinan is also among the provinces where PAGASA expects conditions to worsen from the dry spell.
According to the agency, drought can plague Pangasinan until end of June.
PAGASA defines dry spell as a condition marked by either three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall or two consecutive months of way-below normal rainfall, and drought as either five consecutive months of below-normal rainfall or three consecutive months of way-below normal rainfall. (PNA)
