Sambalpur: Authorities at Hirakud Dam in Odisha’s Sambalpur district opened ten gates on Thursday to release the reservoir’s first floodwater of the current monsoon season
As the water level in the reservoir continued to rise, release of excess water began after a traditional puja ceremony held around 11 am. Gate number 7 on the Hirakud side was opened first, followed by three more gates, taking the initial count to four gates—three on the left spillway and one on the right.
With inflow continuing to increase during the day, six more sluice gates were opened in the afternoon, raising the total number of open gates to 10.
According to official data, water level in the reservoir stood at 624.93 feet against its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 630 feet. The reservoir was receiving an inflow of 1,74,181 cusecs, while the total outflow was 88,372 cusecs.
Of the total discharge, 59,314 cusec was released through the spillway, 25,481 cusecs through the power channel, 247 cusec was supplied to industries and 3,330 cusecs was released through the canal system.
Water released from Hirakud generally takes 12 to 16 hours to reach Khairmal and Barmul and around 36 to 48 hours to reach Munduli near Kataka. In view of the release, advance alerts have been issued for downstream areas likely to witness a rise in river levels.
The reservoir’s dead storage level is 590 feet, while the maximum storage level is fixed at 630 feet. Authorities said the gates are operated keeping flood management requirements and the structural safety of the dam in view.
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.
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.
