Rain fury: Bhakra, Pong flood gates to remain open for another 3-4 days to discharge excess water

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, August 16

Even though inflows into the Bhakra and Pong dams have started reducing, the flood gates of both dams are expected to remain open for another three to four days to release excess water that had accumulated in their reservoirs because of heavy rain in many parts of Himachal Pradesh over the past few days.

The hill state has witnessed heavy rain during July-August, thereby increasing inflows in the reservoirs at major dams which are now brimming. Rains also resulted in excess water flowing into streams and rivulets located downstream of the dams.

“We have been undertaking controlled discharge of water from the dams over the past about a month to cater to this situation. During this period, 6-7 billion cubic meters of additional water has been released,” officials at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) said.

The mean inflow at both dams at present has come down to 65,000 cusecs, with the outflow being 1.4 lakh cusecs at Pong and 80,000 cusecs at Bhakra this afternoon, according to BBMB officials. At Pong, the level remains significantly above the upper limit.

On August 14, Pong Dam, that lies on the Beas in Himachal Pradesh has recorded an inflow of 7.3 lakh cusecs, the highest-ever since it became operational in 1974 resulting in the water level breaching the maximum permissible limit, while the inflow at Bhakra was 1.93 lakh cusecs. The mean inflow at Bhakra as well as Pong at this time of the year is 60,000 cusecs.

The water level at Pong had almost touched 1,399.65 feet on the morning of August 16, almost 10 feet above the permissible limit of 1,390 feet. This was later brought down to 1,398 feet, with additional discharge continuing.

At Bhakra Dam, which lies on the Sutlej, the water level recorded on August 16 was 1,677, which is still three feet below the maximum permissible level of 1,680 feet. The reservoir can still absorb more water.

BBMB officials said that controlled discharge of additional water from both dams, in coordination with the state governments concerned, will continue till the water level is brought down to optimum level that can cater for any unforeseen weather event in the coming weeks.

“We are constantly assessing the situation and are in touch with all member states regarding the release of additional water,” a BBMB official said. “With dry weather being predicted in the next few days and the level at Bhakra still below the upper limit, the situation is under control, but we have no option but to continue releasing additional water from Pong in a calibrated manner till it comes blow the permissible limit,” he added.

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