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)