Agno River Flood Control Dike now fully repaired
MALASIQUI–All portions of the Agno River Flood Control dike destroyed by the huge volume of water released from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town at the height of Typhoon “Pepeng” in early October have already been restored as of November 16.
This was the report of Director Philip Menez, chief of the Agno and Allied Rivers Urgent Rehabilitation Project (AARURP), on the status of the repairs to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who was in town Tuesday.
Restoration has been completed in the washed out portions of the dike in 12 to 14 locations upstream of the Agno River from Alcala up to the town of San Manuel, where the 300-meter high San Roque Dam is located.
Menez said confirmed that the damages to the dike was a result of the unprecedented volume of water released from the San Roque Dam but added that climate change was as much to be blamed.
The National Power Corporation (NPC), which operates the hydroelectric facility of the dam, has been under fire for the release of water, which caused flooding in most parts of Pangasinan, considered the worst in the province’s history.
“At least 50 per cent of the blame could be due to nature,” Menez said, “and 50 per cent of it was man-made”.
Menez described the damaged portions of the dike in the area as “old and weak,” thus unable to withstand the huge volume of water released from the San Roque Dam, which at one point was at a volume of 5,300 cubic meters per second.
Also repaired was the washed out dike at the back of the residence of Undersecretary and Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group chief Antonio Villar Jr. in Sto. Tomas town.
The breaches in the flood control dike in Tumana East and West led to the devastation in Rosales that included the newly opened SM City Rosales Mall. The mall is set to reopen on November 26.
More than P85 million was spent to restore all the washed out portions of the flood control dike, including those in two breached portions of a separate dike in Sta. Barbara along the Sinocalan River.
Menez said the 47-kilometer stretch of the Agno River from Alcala to San Manuel, has been recommended to be rehabilitated under Phase III of the AARURP.
Phase I of the project from Lingayen to Alcala, was completed in May 2005.
Phase II, from Alcala to Bautista passing Bayambang, comprising 23 kilometers, is set for completion in March next year.—LM
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