SAMBALPUR: The season’s first floodwater was released from Hirakud dam through five gates on Sunday. The dam authorities first opened gate no-7 at 9 am. By evening, water was being released through five sluice gates including three on the left spillway and two on the right.
Chief engineer of Upper Mahanadi Basin Ananda Chandra Sahoo said the five gates will remain open for now. Further steps on flood management will be taken considering the rainfall on the upper catchment, inflow of water into the reservoir and the situation on the downstream. “Our target is to maintain the water level at 605 ft by July 31.”
Sahoo further said it will take 48 hours for the water to reach Mundali. All the 13 districts in the downstream of Hirakud dam have been asked to remain alert. However, there are no chances of flooding as of now.
At 6 pm on Sunday, the water level of Hirakud was 614.69 ft. While the inflow of water into the reservoir was 93,051 cusec, the outflow from the dam was 1,17, 126 cusec including 76,40 cusec through spillways, 37,539 cusec to power channel, 3,073 cusec for irrigation and 274 cusec for industries.
On being asked about coordination with Chhattisgarh for management of Mahanadi water, Sahoo said the neighbouring state is not sharing information on operation of gates of dams on the river. “But we are not facing any major problem due to the lack of cooperation as the water is being managed here with the help of modern technology,” he added.
Official sources said the meeting of the interstate sub-committee of National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) for Mahanadi river system to monitor the safety aspects of dams in Mahanadi basin has not been held after 2019.