Usable dead stock in Pench dams will end raw drinking water worry
Anjaya Anparthi | TNN | Apr 8, 2019, 04:54 IST
Nagpur: The worries over shortage of raw drinking water for city this summer have come to an end. The water resources department (WRD) has said Pench reservoirs have water in dead stock, which can be drawn to meet the requirements.
As per WRD data, water storage in Pench Reservoirs — Totladoh and Kamptee Khairi — was 83.46 million meter cube (MMC) as against total capacity of 1,157 MMC, on Saturday.
Totladoh reservoir had 38.55 MMC (3.79%) as against total capacity of 1,017 MMC. Kamptee Khairi reservoir’s storage was 44.91 MMC (31.63%) as against total capacity of 142 MMC.
As against availability of 83.46 MMC, the requirement from Pench reservoirs is over 90 MMC till June-end. Around 25 MMC is likely to be lost to evaporation. For city’s drinking water, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) requires 60 MMC. Mahagencos’ Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power stations need around 5 MMC.
WRD officials told TOI 60-70 MMC water in dead stock of Totladoh reservoir is drawable. “Water in dead stock of reservoirs is not counted in data released daily by the WRD. But the water in dead stock can be released only after permission from the state government,” they said.
WRD officials added 60-70 MMC water was drawn from dead stock of Totladoh reservoir in 2005, which was the first and only such use till date.
As per WRD data, Totladoh reservoir’s dead stock is around 150 MMC. Similarly, dead stock of Kamptee Khairi is 40 MMC. But the entire dead stock is not drawable. Also, dead stock of Kamptee Khairi is not easily drawable.
However, WRD has started to release water from Pench reservoirs into Kanhan river. NMC supplies water to around 60% parts of the city from Pench reservoirs, and remaining 40% from Kanhan river. The water flow in Kanhan river has reduced to a great extent due to summer.
WRD officials said 4 MMC water from Khekranala reservoir can also be released into Kanhan river if required. “Already, 4 MMC water from this reservoir was released into the river last month,” they said.
For last two months, NMC was insisting on the need to release water by Madhya Pradesh government from Chaurai dam into Pench reservoirs to prevent shortage of raw drinking water.
WRD officials claimed they still need to get water from Chaurai dam to prevent problems next year.
The impact will be on irrigation next year. Pench reservoirs are getting less water since construction of Chaurai dam on Pench river’s upstream. Due to less storage, WRD could release water for irrigation during kharip season once, and not a single drop for rabbi season, despite the reservoirs being originally constructed for only irrigation purposes.
Due to non-release of water for irrigation, the Pench reservoirs are left with water to meet city’s raw drinking water requirement. In case of again less storage, irrigation will be affected to a great extent next year.
As per WRD data, water storage in Pench Reservoirs — Totladoh and Kamptee Khairi — was 83.46 million meter cube (MMC) as against total capacity of 1,157 MMC, on Saturday.
Totladoh reservoir had 38.55 MMC (3.79%) as against total capacity of 1,017 MMC. Kamptee Khairi reservoir’s storage was 44.91 MMC (31.63%) as against total capacity of 142 MMC.
As against availability of 83.46 MMC, the requirement from Pench reservoirs is over 90 MMC till June-end. Around 25 MMC is likely to be lost to evaporation. For city’s drinking water, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) requires 60 MMC. Mahagencos’ Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power stations need around 5 MMC.
WRD officials told TOI 60-70 MMC water in dead stock of Totladoh reservoir is drawable. “Water in dead stock of reservoirs is not counted in data released daily by the WRD. But the water in dead stock can be released only after permission from the state government,” they said.
WRD officials added 60-70 MMC water was drawn from dead stock of Totladoh reservoir in 2005, which was the first and only such use till date.
As per WRD data, Totladoh reservoir’s dead stock is around 150 MMC. Similarly, dead stock of Kamptee Khairi is 40 MMC. But the entire dead stock is not drawable. Also, dead stock of Kamptee Khairi is not easily drawable.
However, WRD has started to release water from Pench reservoirs into Kanhan river. NMC supplies water to around 60% parts of the city from Pench reservoirs, and remaining 40% from Kanhan river. The water flow in Kanhan river has reduced to a great extent due to summer.
WRD officials said 4 MMC water from Khekranala reservoir can also be released into Kanhan river if required. “Already, 4 MMC water from this reservoir was released into the river last month,” they said.
For last two months, NMC was insisting on the need to release water by Madhya Pradesh government from Chaurai dam into Pench reservoirs to prevent shortage of raw drinking water.
WRD officials claimed they still need to get water from Chaurai dam to prevent problems next year.
The impact will be on irrigation next year. Pench reservoirs are getting less water since construction of Chaurai dam on Pench river’s upstream. Due to less storage, WRD could release water for irrigation during kharip season once, and not a single drop for rabbi season, despite the reservoirs being originally constructed for only irrigation purposes.
Due to non-release of water for irrigation, the Pench reservoirs are left with water to meet city’s raw drinking water requirement. In case of again less storage, irrigation will be affected to a great extent next year.
Making sense of 2019
#Electionswithtimes
View Full Coverage
All Comments ()+^ Back to Top
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.
HIDE