by: abhaysinh hawaldar
Satara: Koyna dam administration has been forced to open the gates of the dam and initiate controlled discharge of water in response to the significant rise in water level caused by relentless rainfall in the catchment area. Over the past 24 hours, the region has experienced substantial precipitation, with Koynanagar recording 103 mm, Navaja 134 mm, and Mahabaleshwar 92 mm of rainfall.
The intense rainfall has resulted in a substantial inflow of 15,719 cusecs of water into the Koyna dam, elevating the storage level to 75.48 tmc. Consequently, the dam’s six curved gates have been raised by 1 foot 6 inches each, releasing 3,400 cusecs of water into the Koyna river basin. Furthermore, an additional 2,100 cusecs of water is being discharged through the power house, bringing the total discharge to 5,500 cusecs.
In light of the situation, the dam administration has issued a cautionary alert to the villages situated along the Koyna river, advising residents to exercise prudence due to the anticipated rise in water levels. According to Mahesh Rasankar, executive engineer of the dam project, despite the large-scale inflow of water into the dam, the discharge process is being meticulously regulated and remains firmly under control.
Koyna dam management system is currently operating on high alert, and in accordance with the forecast provided by the Meteorological Department, it is expected that the rainfall will persist over the next few days. In anticipation of potential hazards in both the dam area and the adjacent riverbank villages, the administration has placed all systems on high alert to ensure preparedness and swift response.
