Four dams upstream Mutha river doubled within a week

The Pune Municipal Corporation has been getting 11.5 trillion metric tons of water, enough to fulfil the city’s water-supply demand, from a chain of four dams – Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar.

The situation changed drastically after the catchment area of the four dams witnessed continuous rainfall in the past few days. (File)

With Incessant rain for the past few days, water storage in a chain of four dams upstream Mutha river has doubled within a week and provided relief to fulfil the city’s water supply demand.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been getting 11.5 (trillion metric tons) TMC water from a chain of four dams – Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar. It recently started receiving 2.64 TMC water from Bhama Askhed dam and 0.34 TMC from Pavana dam.

The state government has started a study of drawing water for the city from Mulshi dam. The civic body’s demand was 18.58 TMC water before the merger of 23 villages, which now stands at 20.07 TMC to meet the demand of the city for the year.

On July 20, the four dams had a total storage of 11.03 TMC water, 37.83 per cent of the total capacity of 29.15 TMC. Though the storage was slightly more than that existed the same day last year, it had raised concern over poor rainfall in the first 15 days of July.

The situation changed drastically after the catchment area of the four dams witnessed continuous rainfall in the past few days. The water storage in the four dams on July 26 has reached 22.56 TMC, 77.39 per cent of the total storage capacity.

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“The water storage has doubled in the four dams within a week. It is a big relief for the city to meet its water supply needs for the year till next monsoon,” said a PMC officer.

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Varasgaon dam has 9.4 TMC water, which is 73.33 per cent of its capacity of 12.82 TMC, Panshet dam has 8.95 TMC water, which is 84.06 per cent of its capacity of 10.65 TMC, Temghar dam has 2.29 TMC water, which is 61.67 per cent of its capacity of 3.71 TMC and Khadakwasla dam has 1.93 TMC, which is 97.6 per cent of its total capacity of 1.97 TMC.

“Water was discharged from Khadakwasla dam last week after the dam was filled to its capacity. However, it was stopped in between depending on the water inflow in the dam,” said an officer from the irrigation department.

The intensity of rainfall has reduced in the catchment area of the four dams, he said, adding that there is less rain and decrease in inflow of water in the four dams. “We are expecting the dams will continue to get inflow of water from the catchment area even if the intensity of rain reduces. The dams will fill to their capacity but we will keep the storage to 90 per cent of the total capacity so that there is no emergency situation if there is again heavy rainfall in the catchment area,” the officer added.

Bhama Askhed dam storage has 6.03 TMC water, which is 78.59 per cent of the total capacity of 7.67 TMC. It was 3.22 TMC on the same day last year.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune, a role that reflects his seniority and editorial Authority. He is a highly specialized journalist whose work demonstrates significant Expertise in the critical areas of urban development, governance, and sustainability, often linking policy to its on-the-ground impact across Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Ajay Jadhav contributes to the editorial direction and maintains high standards of Trustworthiness and quality in his reporting. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on the intersection of infrastructure, politics, and social development, with expertise in: Infrastructure and Civic Issues: Provides in-depth coverage of crucial development and urban governance topics. His work includes reporting on the glaring contrast between planned infrastructure projects (like private helipads) and the lack of basic facilities (schools and hospitals) in politically significant areas, highlighting accountability gaps. Politics and Governance: Consistently reports on political developments, scrutinizing decision-making that affects public life and development initiatives in Maharashtra. Sustainable Development & Environment: Demonstrates a commitment to responsible development by reporting on initiatives that successfully protect the environment while ensuring essential infrastructure development. Investigative and Policy Impact: National Impact: Ajay has written notable research articles on Conservancy staff which achieved a nationwide impact by directly contributing to the framing of policies aimed at improving the working conditions of waste-handling laborers. This demonstrates his capacity for impactful, evidence-based journalism. Additional Interests Personal Engagement: His background as a trekker and sports enthusiast suggests a keen personal interest in the environment and outdoor spaces, which likely informs his detailed and passionate reporting on sustainable development and civic issues. Ajay Jadhav's sustained focus on governance, his track record of high-impact policy-shaping research, and his critical eye for infrastructure gaps establish him as a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis in Pune and Maharashtra. ... Read More

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