The water level at the Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫) in Taoyuan improved considerably since Sunday, when heavy rain began amid the start of the rainy season, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) said yesterday.
As of noon yesterday, the water level in the reservoir had risen to 220.68m, or 26 percent of its capacity, the agency said.
Since the rain began on Sunday night, the reservoir has collected an estimated 10.49 million cubic meters of water from rainfall and an additional 1.42 million cubic meters from its Sansia River (三峽河) tributary, which is enough water to supply the reservoir’s dependent areas for 10 days, the agency said.
The nation has been battling its worst water shortages in decades and was forced to introduce third-phase water rationing from April 8 in areas supplied by the reservoir — Taoyuan, parts of New Taipei City and Hsinchu County.
Under third-phase water rationing, the supply of tap water to households is cut completely for two days per week on a rotational basis.
Meanwhile, the Baoshan (寶山水庫) and Second Baoshan (寶二水庫) reservoirs in Hsinchu County received an estimated 1.73 million cubic meters of water from the rainfall, enough for nine to 10 days of water supply, the agency said.
The Yongheshan Reservoir (永和山水庫) in Miaoli County received an estimated 1.48 million cubic meters of water, enough to supply its dependent areas for eight days, it said.
The Mingte (明德水庫) and Liyutan (鯉魚潭水庫) reservoirs, both in Miaoli County, collected about 870,000 cubic meters and 2.23 million cubic meters of water respectively, the agency said.
In central Taiwan, the Tehchi Reservoir (德基水庫) in Taichung and Wushe Reservoir (霧社水庫) in Nantou County collected 4.58 million cubic meters and 6 million cubic meters of water respectively, it added.
In southern Taiwan, the Zengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫) in Chiayi County has collected an estimated 1 million cubic meters of water since Monday night, about one day’s water supply, while the Nanhua Reservoir (南化水庫) in Tainan received an estimated 300,000 cubic meters, the agency said.
Based on the Central Weather Bureau’s forecast, the frontal system is due to weaken by today.
Tomorrow, the chances of rain are to rise again nationwide due to the arrival of another frontal system, the bureau said.
While rain brought by the second frontal system would mostly fall in the nation’s northern and northeastern regions, chances of afternoon showers would also be high in central and southern Taiwan, it added.
Additional reporting by Shelley Shan
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