Sardar Sarovar Dam opens gates for the first time this monsoon in Gujarat
The decision of the Flood Management Centre of the Sardar Sarovar Dam to open the gates was conveyed by the district authorities to the various talukas of Narmada district, to put the villages on the river banks on high alert.
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The Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is known as the lifeline of Gujarat, saw a rise of almost seven metres within a week. (Express photo)For the first time this monsoon season, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) on Thursday opened five of the 30 radial gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada district for a “safe rise” to the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 138.68 metres as the dam crossed 131 metres — an increase of nearly four metres recorded within 24 hours. On Wednesday morning, the dam had recorded a level of 127.92 metres.
With a constant inflow of about 4.01 lakh cusecs of water from Omkareshwar and Indirasagar dams in the upstream in Madhya Pradesh, the Sardar Sarovar Dam has begun releasing 1.37 lakh cusecs downstream on Thursday. The SSNNL has also continued to generate hydropower through six functional units of the Riverbed Powerhouse and one unit of the Canal Head Powerhouse. Currently at 74%, the dam has a live storage of 3,500 MCM.
The decision of the Flood Management Centre of the Sardar Sarovar Dam to open the gates at 11am on Thursday was conveyed by the district authorities to the various talukas of Narmada district, to put the villages on the river banks on high alert. District authorities told this newspaper that although the level of the dam was recorded to be increasing by seven centimetres per hour, there was “no reason to worry” as the release of water is a controlled exercise, as per the SSNNL manual for taking the dam to its FRL.
The dam, which is known as the lifeline of Gujarat, saw a rise of almost seven metres within a week. On July 24, the dam had recorded a level of 123.57 metres, which had steadily risen up to 127.92 metres on Wednesday. According to officials of the SSNNL, the Indirasagar Dam in MP also began releasing water through 12 opened gates at a height of three metres, resulting in a release of a huge cache of water of 4.4 lakh cusec downstream. Omkareshwar dam has also been releasing water through 19 open gates, up to 4.75 lakh cusecs
As per protocol, the SSNNL opened the radial gates to ensure that the dam is safely filled up to its FRL with a total of 137 lakh cusecs being released downstream. Officials added that the Flood Control Centre of Sardar Sarovar Dam is constantly monitoring the water level, as the catchment areas of the dam are receiving heavy rainfall, especially at Khandwa raingauge station.
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