Pune: Showers swell dam stock, alert given for ghats today

PUNE: Pune received 19.8mm rain in the 33 hours since 8.30am on Saturday, capping a week of good showers that have raised the collective storage in the four dams catering to the city to 23.98 TMC.
The Met department has issued red and orange alerts for Monday for the ghat areas in Maval, Mulshi, Bhor and Velhe in Pune district, forecasting heavy to very heavy rains.
The monsoon has been vigorous over Madhya Maharashtra, which includes Pune, since the start of the month and particularly during the last week. The city is expected to get moderate rains till August 21. The steady downpour has gladdened paddy and sugarcane farmers in the district, though it has damaged leafy vegetables.
Meanwhile, the four dams added around 2.42 TMC water in the last 48 hours, bringing the collective storage to around 5 TMC short of the total 29.15 TMC. Last year, the dams were filled to capacity on August 12. The water discharge from the Khadakwasla dam was 9,350 cusecs till Sunday evening.
Collective water storage rises by 2.4 TMC in four reservoirs
The collective storage in the four dams supplying drinking water to the city rose to 23.97 TMC. The dams added around 2.42 TMC water from August 14.
On Sunday morning, the dams collectively had 23.97TMC of the total storage capacity of the dams, which is 29.15 TMC.
The release of water from Khadakwasla into the Mutha river was at the rate of 9,350 cusecs till Sunday evening.
“We have maintained the Khadakwasla dam water capacity up to 95% of its total capacity and we are releasing the water considering the rainfall scenario and water storage in other three dams,” Vijay Patil, executive engineer of the Khadakwasla irrigation circle, told TOI on Sunday.
“We might have to release the water from Panshet also as the dam’s storage has increased up to 92% by Sunday evening. On Monday morning, we will take a decision on the release of water from Panshet,” he added.
The Panshet dam catchment recorded 106mm of rain, Temghar received 102mm, Varasgaon 102mm and Khadakwasla 44mm till Sunday evening.
“The India Meteorological Department has already predicted heavy rainfall in ghat areas, because of which we strongly feel water capacity of Temghar and Varasgaon reservoirs will increase in the coming days,” Patil added.
Last year, all four dams had reached to its full capacity on August 12, Patil said “The rainfall in catchments of these dams are less than the rain in the corresponding period last year,” he said.
The stock in Pavana dam that supplies water to Pimpri Chinchwad and industries belts in Maval, Mulshi and Khed tehsils had about 68% storage of its total capacity. The catchment of the dam got 65mm rainfall till Sunday evening.
“There is no release of water from Pavana dam till date. Once it gets 90% stocks of the total capacity then only we will consider release of the water from it,” added Patil.
On Sunday, the Kalmodi dam in Junnar and the Andra dam in Maval reached its full capacity for the first time in the season, an official from the irrigation department said.