Maninjau lake on the rise

Maninjau lake on the rise

PADANG, West Sumatra: One of West Sumatra's most famous lake,
Maninjau lake, is showing signs of an increase in its water level
which has seen a significant drop in recent weeks.

As of Sunday, the water level was recorded at 463.9 meters
above sea level, just below the normal level of about 464 meters.

Some weeks earlier the water level had dropped to 462.1
meters.

Locals suggested the drop in water level of the lake was in
part due to the activities of water turbine electric generators
near the lake. When the turbines are in operation, the intake
from Batang Antokan is closed.

The head of the Bukittinggi unit of the state-owned
electricity company PT PLN, Margo Santosa, said that the
increased water level was in large part due to incessant rain.

However he also conceded that in the past week the power
generating plant had only operated one of its three turbines in
the afternoon.(28)