Hirakud Dam Opens Two More Sluice Gates Amid Heavy Rainfall

Sambalpur: Hirakud dam authorities Wednesday opened two more sluice gates of the dam as rising inflows from heavy rainfall in the upper catchment continued to push up the reservoir's water level. Floodwater is now being discharged into the Mahanadi river through a total of 12 sluice gates, according to the Hirakud Dam control room.

Officials said 34.80 mm of rainfall was recorded in the upper catchment and 36.41 mm in the lower catchment during the past 24 hours, contributing to the sustained rise in reservoir levels. As of 3:30 p.m., the reservoir's water level had risen to 613.45 feet, a figure that reflects the cumulative effect of continued precipitation across the catchment area.

The dam was receiving an average inflow of 1,92,921 cusecs, while the total outflow stood at 2,16,069 cusecs, indicating that the outflow exceeds inflow by approximately 23,148 cusecs. Of the total discharge, 1,81,860 cusecs of floodwater was being released into the Mahanadi through 12 sluice gates, including eight on the left spillway and four on the right. This gate configuration allows controlled release while maintaining structural stability.

In addition to the spillway releases, 30,946 cusecs was being released through the power channel, 2,626 cusecs through the Baragada Canal, 400 cusecs through the Sasan Canal, 81 cusecs through the Sambalpur Canal and 247 cusecs for industrial use, taking the combined canal and industrial discharge to 34,300 cusecs. These canal releases support irrigation, drinking water supply, and industrial requirements downstream.

The control room continues to monitor the situation round the clock, with officials stating that further gate operations will be decided based on real-time inflow forecasts and rainfall predictions for the upper catchment. The current water level of 613.45 feet remains below the dam's full reservoir level, providing a buffer for additional storage if rainfall intensifies. Downstream districts have been alerted about the increased discharge, and local administration is coordinating with dam authorities to ensure public safety along the Mahanadi river banks.

Related Coverage

• Odisha Beautician Murder Case: Body Found in Forest, Suspect Arrested