SAMBALPUR: With the water level of Hirakud Dam Reservoir (HDR) gradually increasing, the authorities have decided to release the first flood water of the season from the dam on August 14. The water level of the reservoir crossed 615 feet mark on Monday.
According to HDR sources, the water level of the reservoir stood at 615.91 feet against highest level of 630 feet. The inflow of water into the reservoir was 84,845 cusec and the outflow 18,105 cusec including 14,397 cusec through power channel, 3,538 cusec through canals and 170 cusec through pipelines of industries.
The rainfall in the upstream of the dam in the last 24 hours has been recorded at 6.89 mm while it was 30.05 mm in the downstream.
On Sunday, the water level of the HDR stood at 614.62 feet while the inflow of water into the reservoir was 1,10,946 cusec and the outflow was 18,663 cusec including 14,938 cusec through power channel, 3,555 cusec through canals and 170 cusec through pipelines of industries.
Superintending Engineer, Hirakud Dam Circle, Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty said the water level of the HDR is gradually increasing due to good rainfall on the upstream of the dam.
Since the water level of the dam is increasing, this season’s first flood water from the reservoir will be released into river Mahanadi at any time after 11 am on August 14, he said. The dam authorities have also alerted all the departments concerned besides the district administration of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Angul, Boudh, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Phulbani, Khurda, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Puri to take necessary safety measures to see that the river bed of Mahanadi, downstream of Hirakud dam, is cleared off any temporary construction or encroachment. Last year, the Hirakud Dam authorities had released the first flood water from the dam on July 24 when the water level of the HDR stood at 618 feet.