The season’s first floodwater was released from the Hirakud Dam into the Mahanadi river on Sunday. The floodwater was discharged from sluice gate no.7 of the dam’s reservoir at 10.17 am following traditional religious rituals conducted by dam authorities on Sunday. Later, one more sluice gate was opened to release floodwater from reservoir. Currently, the water level at dam stands at 609.39 feet.