Sambalpur: Authorities at Hirakud Dam in Odisha’s Sambalpur district will open four gates at 11 am on Thursday to release the reservoir’s first floodwater of the current monsoon season.
The controlled discharge is intended to manage rising water levels caused by heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi River basin. At 9 am on Wednesday, the dam’s water level stood at 611.23 feet—well below its maximum capacity of 630 feet—with an inflow of 2.62 lakh cusecs.
Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout of the Odisha Water Resources Department stated that around 1 lakh cusecs of water would initially be released. Depending on the situation, two more gates could be opened later in the day. “We will start operations at Hirakud reservoir tomorrow… This is planned so that we can accommodate the water coming from subsequent spells,” he said.
The release forms part of standard reservoir management to create adequate storage capacity ahead of expected future monsoon activity, which often brings 8 to 10 low-pressure systems.
No-Fly Zone Declared
Ahead of the release, the Sambalpur administration has declared the Hirakud main dam and its peripheral areas a no-fly zone. The order, issued by the Collector and District Magistrate, strictly prohibits the operation of drones, microlight aircraft, and all other manned or unmanned aerial vehicles in the notified area without prior approval.
Media personnel and the general public have been urged to comply with the restrictions to ensure safety and security.
Strict Safety Measures in Kataka
Anticipating a significant rise in the Mahanadi River’s water level, the Kataka administration has imposed stringent restrictions under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The order, issued by Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, takes immediate effect and supersedes an earlier directive.
All swimming, bathing, and recreational or commercial activities in the Mahanadi River and its distributaries have been banned until further orders. Sand mining and quarry operations have also been suspended.
The administration has prohibited people from gathering, loitering, or standing on bridges, barrages (including Mundali and Jobra), and river embankments to watch the floodwaters. Taking selfies, photography, or videography near riverbanks, ghats, or fast-flowing water has also been strictly forbidden.
Kataka Municipal Corporation and Block Development Officers have been directed to widely publicise the restrictions and deploy nodal officers for round-the-clock monitoring.
Police have been asked to enforce the order rigorously.
Violations will attract strict action under Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and other relevant laws.
Downstream Situation
Officials, however, have assured that there is no immediate flood threat downstream, as the release is being carried out in a controlled manner. Outflow at Mundali has already decreased from 5.54 lakh cusecs on Tuesday night to 4.80 lakh cusecs and is expected to fall further.
The engineer-in-chief confirmed that the receding outflow at Munduli barrage will allow the Mahanadi’s downstream channels to smoothly absorb new floodwater releases.
Coordinated Flood Management
The decision to release floodwaters from the dam follows a high-level meeting of the Flood Crisis Management Team in Sambalpur, chaired by the Central Water Commission. Senior engineers from Odisha and Chhattisgarh participated to coordinate reservoir operations and improve real-time data sharing across the Mahanadi basin.While incessant rains have triggered minor flood concerns in some rivers like the Baitarani, officials say no major inundation is expected from this planned release. Residents in downstream areas are advised to remain alert and follow updates from local authorities.
