PUNE: The gates of at least 10 dams in the Bhima and Krishna basin were opened on Friday to discharge water following an increase in the storage due to heavy rain in the catchments since the last three days.
Among the major dams that started discharging water were Koyna, Varnavati, Kanher, Dhom Balkawadi, Khadakwasla, Kalmodi and Gunjawani.
More dams are likely to begin water release as their catchments continue to receive heavy spells of rains even on Friday. The storages in all major dams in Krishna basin increased to around 70% to 80% on Friday. The dams in Bhima basin have storages ranging between 50% and 80%.
The major dams in the Bhima and Krishna basin collectively added around 60 TMC water in 24 hours ended on Friday morning. Around 23 TMC water was added in the dams in the Bhima basin, while the dams in the Krishna basin got 37 TMC of additional water, stated the irrigation department in a report.
An irrigation department official said all the dams were continuously receiving heavy spells since the past two to three days, leading to a huge inflow of water in the reservoirs. “The catchments of most dams have recorded 3-digit rainfall for two consecutive days,” the official said.
The irrigation department report stated that Koyna dam recorded over 950mm rainfall in the past two days, Radhanagari over 760mm, Kasarsai and Varnavati over 700mm and Temghar over 550mm of rainfall. Panshet and Varasgaon dams received over 320mm rain in the 48 hours ended on Friday morning.
H V Gunale, chief engineer in the water resource department (Pune), said, “We are monitoring the water levels and inflow of water at every dam round the clock. Plans are being chalked out for discharge of water. Every dam has a reservoir operation schedule, which is the base for the discharge plan. We are constantly monitoring water inflow since the catchments of many dams are receiving heavy spells.”
Another senior official from the irrigation department said storages in many dams had reached around 70% to 80%. “All these dams will start releasing water if their catchments continue to receive rains. For instance, storage in Panshet, Gunjawani and Pavana dams increased to 70% by Friday evening.”
The release of water from the upstream dams in Pune district increased storage in the Ujani dam. The reservoir, which had minus live storage till Thursday, now has over 3 TMC live storage.
Besides the dams in Pune division which recorded 14% increase in water stock in 24 hours till Friday morning, the water storages in major dams in Marathwada also recorded an increase following consistent rains. The storages increased by 2% in dams in Aurangabad and Nashik division, 4% rise was recorded in water stocks in major dams in Amravati division while dams in Nagpur division recorded 3% increase.
For graphic:
## Water release from major dams:
Koyna, Khadakwasla, Varnavati, Kalmodi, Vadivale, Andra, Dhom, Kanhr, Kasari, Dhom Balkwadi, Urmodi, Tarali
## Storages in major dams:
Division 23July 22 July
Pune 54.03% 40.37%
Nashik 34.84% 32.38%
Aurangabad 43.64% 41.34%
Amaravati 52.17% 48.55%
Nagpur 43.27% 39.5%
Konkan 54.56% 47.1%
Total 48.55% 40.37%
## water stock added in dams in Bhima and Krishna basin in 24 hours: 60 TMC
## Stock in Dams around Pune:
Total : 19.4 TMC (66.5%)
Temghar 1.86 TMC 50%
Panshet 7.69 TMC 72.2%
Varasgaon 7.87 TMC 61.4%
Khadakwalsa 1.97 TMC 100%
