Pune: The combined storage in the Khadakwasla dam system shot up to 8.32 TMC (28.5% of total capacity) after receiving an inflow of 2.6 TMC, enough to meet the city’s demand for almost two months, in just 24 hours ending 5pm on Monday as sustained rain overnight and through the day swelled rivers across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.Thirteen dams in the district received more than 100mm of rainfall each in the 24 hours ending Monday morning, including Temghar, Varasgaon, Panshet and Pavana dams, irrigation department data showed. “The heavy rainfall also caused water levels in major rivers, including the Mula-Mutha, Pavana and Indrayani, to rise significantly due to runoff from free catchment areas, streams and nullahs,” an official said.With reservoir and river levels increasing rapidly, the irrigation department has issued alerts asking people living along riverbanks to remain cautious and avoid venturing close to water bodies. Officials said water might have to be released from the Khadakwasla dam if intense rainfall continued on Tuesday. By Monday evening, storage in the reservoir had reached nearly 32% of capacity. Authorities indicated that discharges would become necessary if storage touched around 80% amid sustained inflows.“The flow at Bund Garden touched around 35,000 cusecs on Monday, mainly because of heavy rainfall in upstream Mulshi areas. Water from the Mula, Mutha and Pavana rivers, along with flows from Mulshi, ultimately joins the Mula-Mutha river, leading to a substantial increase in water levels,” the official said.The Mulshi catchment has also been among the wettest regions in the district over the past two days. Mulshi and Vadivale dams each received more than 200mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending Monday morning and recorded another 100mm-plus rainfall till Monday evening. Since June 1, Mulshi dam has received over 1,700mm of rainfall, the highest among the 25 major dams in the Bhima basin.Water discharge from Vadivale & Kalmodi damsAs reservoir levels surged, the irrigation department on Monday released water from Vadivale and Kalmodi dams. Discharges were maintained at 9,000 cusecs from Vadivale dam and 3,800 cusecs from Kalmodi dam after storage levels in both reservoirs crossed 90% of their respective capacities.
