20 gates of Hirakud dam opened to release flood water

SAMBALPUR: The season’s first flood water was released from sluice gates of Hirakud Dam on Tuesday. Water level of the dam reservoir stood at 618 feet as against the full reservoir level of 630 feet when water from the dam was first released through  Sluice Gate 7 at 12 noon. Subsequently, 15 sluice gates were opened phase wise until 7 pm to release water from the dam. By 9 pm, 20 sluice gates were opened.

Chief Engineer, Upper Mahanadi Basin, Jyotirmaya Rath said although it was decided to open 20 sluice gates of the dam phase wise, there is no flood threat in the downstream as the Mahanadi river bed is empty and rainfall recorded in upstream and downstream of the dam is very low in the last 24 hours. The inflow of water into the dam reservoir was 1,35,000 cusec while the outflow was 11,000 cusec through power channel before the first sluice gate was opened.

Rath said they have not taken any decision on the opening of more gates as of now. They will assess the situation and take a decision considering the inflow of water into the reservoir, he added.

As on 7 pm, the water level of dam reservoir stood at 617.93 feet. Inflow into the reservoir was 1,04,400 cusec and outflow was 2,44,893 cusec through 15 sluice gates and power channel. Rainfall in the upstream of the dam in the last 24 hours has been recorded at 2.15 mm while it was 0.86 mm in the downstream. Hundreds of visitors witnessed the annual event. 

There are 64 sluice gates, including 24 on the right side and 40 on the left side of the dam to release flood water.