Pune: The Khadakwasla dam filled to its 100 per cent capacity of 1.97 TMC on Wednesday (August 12)morning 10 am. As a result, the irrigation department has started releasing water into Mutha river and if the rains continue in the catchment areas, then alert will be issued to residents staying along the river bed in Pune city.
Waman Bhalerao, Deputy Engineer, Khadakwasla dam said, “We have started releasing 428 cusecs of water into Mutha river from Wednesday morning. For this purpose, we have opened the sixth door out of a total 11 doors by just half foot height.”
The four dams – Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar – which supply water to Pune city have a cumulative water stock of 18.63 TMC which is 63.91 per cent of their total capacity of 29.15 TMC. In the last eight days, rainfall activity has increased in the catchment areas of these dams which has added 9 TMC water collectively. Last year all the four dams were full in August month.
The present stock in the four dams is sufficient to fulfil the drinking water needs of Pune city for the entire year. However, the agriculture and industries sectors are also supplied water from these dams. Apart from this, the water storage in Ujani dam in Solapur district is also dependent on the water released from the Khadakwasla dam project.
As per the last reported figures on Tuesday evening of rainfall in the catchment areas of all four dams, Khadakwasla region received 17 mm, Panshet and Varasgaon each received 21 mm rainfall and Temghar region received 28 mm rainfall in 24 hours.
Vijay Patil, executive engineer of Khadakwasla dam project said, “Khadakwasla dam was receiving water inflow of 1600 cusec on Tuesday. The catchment area of Khadakwasla dam received good rainfall on Monday but it receded on Tuesday. It is expected that the next few days will have strong rainfall activity in this region.”
