Gujarat: Ukai dam water level crosses 338 feet in Surat

The dam is a lifeline for the people in Surat. Archive

The water level in Ukai dam reached 338.64 feet on Friday with an inflow of 1,200 cusecs even as the same quantity of water is being discharged from the dam. According to the Ukai dam authorities, the maximum water level in the dam during the same time in 2018 was 319 feet. The rule level in the dam has been fixed at 340 feet from September 1. The inflow has reduced as the upper catchment areas of the dam in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra has been receiving moderate rainfall, they said.

The live storage of water in the dam is 5617.92 million cubic metre (MCM), while on August 30, 2018, it was 2732.58 MCM with an outflow and inflow of 600 cusecs. The dam authorities had fixed the rule level in the dam at 335 feet for August and it has been revised to 30 feet from September 1.

Irrigation department superintendent engineer, RN Patel, said, “We have fixed rule level at 30 feet from September 1, keeping in mind the water quantity in the dam. By September 15, the rule level will be 345 feet, which is danger mark. The height of the dam is 352 feet so there is nothing to worry. Now we are receiving less quantity of water from upper catchment areas and there is no forecast of heavy rainfall. We have sufficient quantity of water in the dam to cater to the needs of irrigation, drinking purpose, industry use for Surat, Bharuch, Navsari and Valsad.”