Pune: Continuous ongoing rainfall in the catchment areas of the district has raised water levels in most major reservoirs. As of Sunday morning, combined usable water storage in four dams of Khadakwasla cluster reached 25.13 TMC, which is 86.2% of their total capacity.This has surpassed the quantity recorded during the corresponding period last year, when these dams carried 24.84 TMC of water, amounting to 85.2% of their collective capacity.According to the irrigation department’s daily report, ongoing rainfall has maintained steady water inflows into the reservoirs supplying water to Pune city. In the Khadakwasla cluster, Khadakwasla dam is 100% full with 1.97 TMC of usable water after receiving 21 mm of rainfall from 8.30am on Saturday till 8.30am on Sunday.
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At the end of the same duration, Panshet dam holds 9.69 TMC of water (91% of capacity) with 48mm of rainfall received, Varasgaon holds 10.87 TMC of water (84.7% of capacity) after receiving 46mm of rain, and Temghar has 2.6 TMC of water (70.1% capacity), while recording the highest daily rainfall in the cluster at 58mm.Bhama Askhed dam, which supplies drinking water to parts of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, holds 7.34 TMC of water, reaching 95.7% of total capacity. Its catchment area received 55mm of rain in the same 24 hours.As per the data from the irrigation department, following heavy and continuous rainfall in catchment areas, alert notices were issued and water discharges increased into Bhima and Pavana rivers to control reservoir levels. Chaskaman dam reached 98.6% of its total capacity, which prompted officials to step up the spillway discharge into Bhima river from 4.30am on Sunday by an additional 9,920 cusecs, bringing total flow to 14,457 cusecs.Similarly, Pavana dam reached 97% storage, with the earlier release of 7,550 cusecs into Pavana river increased to 9,000 cusecs on Sunday, as well as plans to step it up further to 12,000 cusecs depending on further inflow.Water was also discharged from Khadakwasla dam at the rate of around 2,900 cusecs. However, the release of water from this dam was halted at 11pm on Sunday.A senior irrigation official said, “Residents of low-lying areas along riverbanks are warned not to enter water and advised to immediately shift livestock, farm equipment and water pumps to safer ground while adhering to official instructions.”The official added that decisions regarding increasing or decreasing of discharge from dams will be made based on rainfall recorded in the catchments.
