Panaji: The overflow of water from Selaulim reservoir’s duckbill spillway came to a halt this year much earlier than expected, on Oct 12. This is more than 40 days earlier than usual. In 2025, the overflow stopped around Nov 20, which has been the trend over the last few years.With a monsoon deficit of 32% this year, Selaulim reservoir in Uguem, Sanguem, has possibly seen the least number of days of overflow this monsoon in recent times. This was because Selaulim dam reached capacity and the spillover too had begun much later than usual, the latest in 13 years on July 30, as against June 25 last year.This year, when the dam, which supplies water for most of South Goa, first began spilling from its unique duckbill spillway, canal discharge was also lower than usual.The duckbill spillway is designed to pass a maximum flood discharge of 1,450 cubic metres per second. Excess water flows into Selaulim river and is used for irrigation. The longer the overflow lasts, the more it helps irrigation supply and to keep the soil in the surrounding area moist for cultivation, not requiring any additional release of water.However, this year, the situation has been tricky with no overflow available from Oct 12.But the water resources department had seen this coming.In Sept itself, before the spillover could stop, to conserve the storage, minister Subhash Shirodkar had directed that supply to Verna and Mormugao talukas from Selaulim reservoir be halted. WRD had alternatively begun lifting water from River Kushavati in Quepem.This is the first time in the history of Goa that the state has stopped utilising water from Selaulim canal and the 25 to 30 MLD daily water requirement in Verna and Mormugao is being met by water lifted from river Kushavati in Quepem. The water in Selaulim has to last for South Goa until the next monsoon arrives in June 2027.Water spilling into the duckbill spillway attracts large numbers of visitors to Selaulim reservoir complex and its botanical gardens. With good rainfall, the spillway continues for longer, like last year when the overflow stopped only around the end of Nov.At full level, Selaulim reservoir stands at 41.1m, with a gross storage of 234.3 million cubic metres.
