HYDERABAD: The floodwater management and operation of gates of projects will be done automatically in future in the State. The Irrigation Department will soon call for tenders to install automatic water level recorders at 88 places, covering almost all the completed projects and reservoirs. The works, to be taken up with the support of National Hydrology Project (NHP), is funded by World Bank.In the first phase of the programme, the government installed 27 automatic water level recorders at key places.
“In the second phase, we will install 88 automatic water level recorders. This will help us to get real time data of floodwaters. The tenders for the works will be called a week’s time,” Irrigation Superintending Engineer (Hydrology) P Kasi Viswanadham told Express on Wednesday.
The water level recorders would also be installed at off-take and intake points of the projects. With World Bank sanctioning `96 crore, the Irrigation Department will take up these modernisation works in phases. Works will also be initiated soon to instal computer programming system for remotely operating the project gates and Sriram Sagar Project, Lower Manair Dam and Kaddam projects were selected for the purpose.
“When these automatic water level recorders are installed, the gates will automatically open once the water level reaches full reservoir level,” Viswanadham explained. “This would help the officials in better management of flood situation from a nearby control room. Sensors and cameras would be installed at every gate of the projects,” he said.
Meanwhile, the officials have decided to set up a regional data centre for Godavari basin in Karimnagar, which will compile the data of projects in Godavari basin in the State. Tenders will be finalised this week to carry out “reservoir sedimentation studies of major and medium projects”.
“Sedimentation studies will be carried out under National Hydrology Project for M Baga Reddy Singur Project, Priyadarshini Jurala Project, Lower Manair Project, Sri Komarambheem Project, Ralivagu Project, Mathadivagu Project, NTR Sagar Project (Chelimalavagu), Suddavagu Project (Gaddenavagu) and Ramadugu Project. This will help in knowing how much storage capacity of these projects was decreased over the years due to sediment,” Viswanadham said.