Hirakud dam opens 20 gates as water nears full capacity; no flood threat in Mahanadi yet

With rising inflows from heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas, authorities at Hirakud Dam opened four more gates on Friday, raising the total to 20. At present, 13 gates on the left and 7 on the right are discharging water.

According to officials, the reservoir is receiving an inflow of 2,09,512 cusecs per second, while 2,27,308 cusecs is being released. The water level now stands just three-and-a-half feet below the maximum capacity of the dam. Despite the release, officials confirmed that there is no immediate flood threat in the Mahanadi River, owing to the dam’s holding capacity.

More Gates May Be Opened

If inflows continue to rise, authorities may consider opening additional gates. However, opening 22 or more sluice gates could cause gap water to affect the culvert between Sambalpur and Sonepur.

Water Flow Towards Mundali

The released water is expected to reach Mundali in about 30 hours. Officials said a clearer picture will emerge after an assessment at noon, depending on the rainfall pattern in the upper catchment areas and the volume of fresh inflows.