In a strategic move to manage water levels, the San Roque Dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan, closed its two spill gates before noon on Monday. The gates had been opened on Sunday to handle the influx of water caused by heavy rainfall from tropical cyclone Pepito, also known internationally as Man-yi. The decision to close the gates was made despite ongoing water inflow from the Ambuklao and Binga Dams in Benguet province, as there are no expected weather disturbances until the end of November. Teresa Serra, the flood operation manager at the National Power Corporation-San Roque Dam Office, explained that the reservoir needs to store water for future use next year. The gates, specifically 2A and 2B, were initially opened to 1.5 meters and 3.5 meters respectively at 1 a.m. on Sunday. As Pepito intensified over Northern Luzon, the opening was increased to 4.5 meters before being gradually reduced as the cyclone moved away. At noon, the dam’s water level stood at 279.20 meters above sea level, just below the normal high water level of 280 meters.
