Excess water released from Bhakra, Pong dams

With heavy inflow of water into its dams because of rains, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on Tuesday released excess water from Bhakra and Pong reservoirs through flood gates even as several areas in Punjab were put on alert. As concerned authorities in Punjab were geared up to deal with the flooding of vulnerable areas because of discharge of excess water, the state authorities today asked BBMB not to make “heavy outflow” of water from both dams otherwise it could lead to flooding. 

BBMB on Tuesday released 46,826 cusecs and 46,604 cusecs of water from Bhakra and Pong reservoirs respectively. “Out of which, about 10,000 cusecs from Bhakra and 27,000 cusecs from Pong were discharged through floodgates,” an official of BBMB said here and added the water release would be regulated which would not lead to flooding. 

The BBMB has already sounded alert to state authorities in Punjab in the wake of opening flood gates for releasing surplus water. BBMB decided to discharge excess water as water level in both Bhakra and Pong dams had been rising for the past several days because of rains in its catchment areas and snow melting. 

“The decision to release water through floodgates was taken for the safety of dams,” he said. Water level in Bhakra on Tuesday stood at 1,663.78 feet which was about one foot more than what it was in corresponding day of last year. The major concern for the BBMB authorities is the rising water level in Pong reservoir which recorded the level at 1,381.06 feet, which is 37 feet more than the level recorded on the corresponding day of last year, he said. 

Water inflow in Bhakra and Pong dams was 77,000 cusecs and 84,000 cusecs respectively, official said. A decision has been taken to keep the water level in Bhakra dam at 1,668 feet till August 15 and then 1,678 feet till August 31. In case of Pong dam, its water level is to be maintained at 1,382 feet as on August 15 and then it be allowed till 1,388 feet by August 31, official said. 

Bhakra and Pong dams are to be filled up to a level of 1,680 feet and 1,390 feet respectively by September. The state authorities in Punjab claimed to have made adequate arrangements in several dowsnstream areas including Ropar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur to effectively combat any eventuality arising out of the release of excess water into Sutlej and Beas rivers.