SAMBALPUR: Hirakud dam authorities on Saturday afternoon released flood water through four sluice gates (including three on the left side and one on the right) due to heavy rainfall upstream of the reservoir.
Dam officials said the reservoir level stood at 607.56 ft against the full level of 630 ft on the day. While the upstream rainfall was recorded at 43.44 mm, the downstream rainfall stood at 25.63 mm. The average inflow of water was 86,180 cusecs and the average outflow was 21,538 cusecs.
Although the water level stood below the danger level, the decision was taken to open some sluice gates taking the incessant rain situation into consideration. More gates will be opened in future after examining the downstream situation in future to release floodwater, officials of the Upper Mahanadi basin said.
After the gates were opened, the reservoir level stood at 607.81 ft. The average inflow was 1,18,875 cusecs and the outflow was 81,950 cusecs including 58,700 cusecs from the spillway, besides 19,423 cusecs from power channel, 272 cusecs from industries and 3,555 cusecs from canals. The dam released this season’s first flood water on July 11 through two gates when the water level stood at 609 ft due to good rainfall in the catchment of the reservoir.