Sambalpur: Four sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam in Sambalpur opened today to release the season’s first floodwaters. The gates were opened at 11:00 am.
As per the ‘Rule Curve’, the reservoir level is supposed to be at 605 feet in July. However, it has already crossed 615 feet. In view of the safety of the earthen dam, the Hirakud Dam authorities have decided to release flood water.
In the first phase, four sluice gates have been opened, discharging around 70,000 cusecs of water per second. At present, inflow into the reservoir is approximately 2,20,000 cusecs per second, officials informed.
The released flood water is expected to reach Mundali in the next 36 hours. Currently, around 2,50,000 cusecs of water is flowing at Mundali.
The Dam Chief Engineer has clarified that the water being released from Hirakud will not create any flood situation in the downstream areas. He stated that gate operations will be monitored based on the situation in both upstream and downstream regions, and more gates will be opened if necessary to release flood water into the Mahanadi river.
The sluice gate no 7 was opened this morning around 11 AM, marking the beginning of controlled flood water discharge. Senior district administration officials and Hirakud Project staff were present during the operation. As per tradition, puja and bhajans were performed before opening the gate.
Meanwhile, the Dam authorities have issued an advisory asking people not to enter the Mahanadi riverbed during this period as the water flow increases significantly when gates are opened.
