SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan–The recent devastating signal No. 5 super typhoon Karding left a damage in Bulo Dam as its worth was put to test after it saved this town and other nearby municipalities from further inundation brought by flash floods.
Bulo Dam located in Barangay Kalawakan in Doña Remedios Trinidad (DRT) swallowed 1,567,000 cubic meter of waters and relieved San Miguel, San Ildefonso and other downstream towns of much more catastrophic results, says National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Irrigation Management Office (IMO) head for Bulacan Roberto Dela Cruz.
Due to strong rains poured in by Karding, Bulo Dam overflowed after its elevation reached 77.00 meters from its spilling level of 76.00, meters, he said.
As a result of the millions of cubic meter of rain waters typhoon Karding pounded to Sierra Madre Mountain ranges, it washed out and swept down trees and branches of trees and had damaged the Auxiliary Spillway portion of the dam, Dela Cruz said.
However, the dam generally functioned well as a major flood control project, NIA Reg. 3 director Josephine Salazar.
“Despite the damage on the Auxiliary Spillway, it withstand typhoon Karding and save San Miguel town from further effects of flash floods,” Salazar said.
“This is the first typhoon that Bulo Dam’s worth has been proven and tested,” she told NEWS CORE.
Bulo Dam can accommodate a total of 2.6 million cubic meters of waters, she said.
Third District Rep. Lorna Silverio had proposed for the project to save her constituents from devastating effects of flash flood whenever a strong typhoon will hit the areas particularly the Sierra Madre mountain range.
The ungated earth-type reservoir which is 30.70 meters in height can accommodate rain waters poured in from within 570 hectares within the Sierra Madre Mountain ranges automatically allows water to flow.