Reservoir to brim, Bhakra water released

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Nangal, August 16

The floodgates of the Bhakra Dam were opened this afternoon, releasing 19,000 cusecs of water, after the reservoir touched the 1,674-foot mark amid forecast of heavy rain in the catchment area of the Sutlej, said the Bhakra Beas Management Board.

The reservoir’s storage capacity is 1,680 feet and can accommodate 1,685 feet of water. With 36,000 cusecs already being released through turbines for power generation, the discharge of additional 19,000 cusecs through spillway gates means the total volume of water to be released downstream is 55,000 cusecs.

Dam Chief Engineer AK Aggarwal at Nangal said the reservoir water level rose rapidly and touched the 1,673-foot mark at 6 am, against 1,615.08 feet recorded during the corresponding period last year.

The India Meteorological Department had forecast heavy downpour in the catchment area in the coming days. As turbines were running at full capacity, there was no other option, said Aggarwal. The increase in water flow in the Swan, emanating from neighbouring Una district in HP and merging with the Sutlej near Anandpur Sahib, may cause flooding in the area.

At 1 pm, 325 cusecs of water was recorded in the Swan. DC Sumeet Jarangal said official machinery had been alerted and announcements had been made in the downstream area to stay vigilant.