Storage in dams supplying water to Pune reaches 50% after continuous rainfall

The total storage capacity of the four dams supplying water to Pune city--Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon, and Temghar--is 29 TMC.

On Tuesday, the amount of water discharged into the river was increased from 340 cusecs to 1,440 cusecs as the water level rose in the dams following the rain in the catchment area, officials said. (File Photo)

After continuous rainfall in the catchment areas of dams upstream of the Mutha river, the four main dams supplying water to Pune city have filled to half their capacity despite the water being released into the river over the last two weeks.

The total storage capacity of the four dams–Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon, and Temghar–is 29 thousand million cubic feet (TMC).

“The good rainfall in June has enabled the increase of storage in the four dams. The water storage is 14.52 TMC, which is around 50 per cent of the total storage capacity,” said an officer of the Maharashtra water resources department.

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On Tuesday, the amount of water discharged into the river was increased from 340 cusecs to 1,440 cusecs as the water level rose in the dams following the rain in the catchment area, officials said.

The water storage in the Khadakwasla dam is 1.21 TMC, which is 61.51 per cent of its capacity, while the water storage in the Varasgaon dam has reached 6.99 TMC–54.50 per cent of its capacity. The water storage in the Panshet dam is 4.96 TMC, which is 46.56 per cent of its capacity. In the Temghar dam, the water storage is 1.36 TMC–36.73 per cent of its capacity.

On Monday, the catchment areas of the dams received rainfall of 24 mm (Temghar), 18 mm (Varasgaon), 16 mm (Panshet), and 2 mm (Khadakwasla).

The administration expects more rain in July and has put the disaster management system on alert to handle any eventuality, officials said.

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