Over 10 TMC water released from Pune dams till now as the city battles red alert amidst heavy water discharge

In the past fifteen days, the Khadakwasla Dam Cluster comprising of Panshet, Warasgaon, Temghar and Khadakwasla dams has released more than 10 TMC water, flowing into Ujani dam, where the current stock is at 73.38%.

Due to the ongoing heavy rainfall in catchment areas of dams located in Pune district in the past fortnight, more than 10 TMC water has been discharged from three dams in the district, said officials of the irrigation department. The dams include Khadakwasla, Panshet and Warasgaon.

The water discharged from the Khadakwalsa cluster, which includes four dams, has drained into the Ujani dam, where the current stock is at 73.38%.

From July 15 onwards dam catchment areas of all dams in Pune district are receiving moderate to heavy and occasionally extremely heavy rainfall. In the last two days, the ghat section as well as the dam catchment areas are receiving heavy rainfall that resulted in a rapid increase in inflow and consequent increase in the dam water level.

The water release was first started from Khadakwasla dam, after its stock reached 95 per cent on July 24. Since then, the water release has continued except for one or two days to date.

The water release from Panshet dam started on July 28 and from Warasgaon on August 2.

In the last two days, the ghat areas in the Pune district also received over 100 mm of rainfall at various locations in the Maval, Mulshi, Welhe and Junnar tehsils.

The water levels in Bhama Askhed and Pavana dams, which are the main sources of drinking water for East Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad city, recorded water levels as 85.15 per cent and 81.36 per cent respectively.

Looking at the overall statistics, the collective water storage for the dam project in the Pune division was recorded as 77.59 per cent which was 63.07 per cent last year on the same date.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Pune district on August 4, forecasting heavy to extreme rainfall in Konkan and Central Maharashtra, and moderate to heavy rainfall in Marathwada and Vidarbha. A similar alert is in place for Satara and Palghar districts, with extreme rainfall expected in ghat areas. Rainfall activity is expected to reduce in Pune district from August 5 onwards.