Sambalpur: With the water stock in Hirakud dam remaining at the full reservoir level (FRL) for the last four days, the dam authorities have opened two gates to maintain the optimum level in accordance with the Rule Curve.
The dam authorities informed that the water level had reached the FRL of 630 feet by 12 noon on Sunday.
To ensure that the water level does not cross the FRL, two gates of the dam have been opened to release the water from the reservoir, they added.
While the inflow of Mahanadi water to the reservoir is 59,056 cusecs, the same volume of water is being released.
Besides, the discharge of the water is 1.27 lakh cusecs at Kharimal, 97,500 cusecs at Barmul and 1.03 lakh cusecs at Mundali.
According to the existing Rule Curve, the minimum water level of the reservoir should be 595 feet by July 1, 590 feet by August 1, 605-615 feet by August 11, 610-622 feet by August 21, 619-627 feet by September 1, 624-629 feet by September 11, 629.5-630 feet by September 21 and 630 feet by October 1.
A rule curve or rule level specifies the storage or empty space to be maintained in a reservoir during different times of the year.
It is also a part of the core safety mechanism in a dam.
