The Pong Dam on the Beas in Himachal Pradesh has registered the highest-ever inflow since it began operating in 1974 as a result of the intense rain that has been hammering various areas of the region. On August 14, when the inflow reached its peak of 7.3 lakh cusecs, the reservoir’s water level exceeded the permitted upper limit.
When compared to the upper limit of 1,390 feet, the water level at Pong reached 1,395.31 feet today afternoon, which means the current storage is operating at 107% of its intended capacity, according to sources in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
“We are engaged in flood mitigation through controlled discharges from the Pong as well as Bhakra by opening the floodgates of both dams,” a BBMB official said. “Though the inflows started receding towards evening, the situation is being monitored carefully and the release of water is being calibrated to avoid downstream flooding,” he added.
“We are engaged in flood mitigation through controlled discharges from the Pong as well as Bhakra by opening the floodgates of both dams,” a BBMB official said. “Though the inflows started receding towards evening, the situation is being monitored carefully and the release of water is being calibrated to avoid downstream flooding,” he added.
According to sources at the BBMB, the Bhakra Dam, which is located on the Sutlej in Himachal, is filled to 96% of its maximum capacity and currently has the space to absorb about one lakh cusecs.
At this time of year, the mean inflow at Pong and Bhakra is 60,000 cusecs. The present water level at Bhakra is 36 feet higher than it was on this day last year, while that at Pong is 31 feet higher than it was then. This information is currently available.
While the reservoir at Bhakra receives most of its water from snow and has a sizable portion of its catchment area in Tibet, the reservoir at Pong receives most of its water from rain and has its catchment area in Himachal Pradesh, where the Beas originates.
“The situation is under control and we are taking decisions to release water in coordination with the state governments involved, but a lot depends on the weather over the next few days as there is a prediction of light to moderate rain with isolated heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh on August 14 and 15,” the official said.
According to government officials, the Harike barrage on the Sutlej in south-western Punjab is expected to gather roughly one lakh cusecs of water. This contains the Sutlej, Beas, and Chakki rivers’ water as well as the river that flows south from Pathankot.
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