The Hirakud Dam authorities on Saturday closed three sluice gates to regulate inflow, leaving four gates open as the reservoir continued to show a falling trend.
At the 9 am observation, the water level stood at 627.45 feet, with average inflow and outflow balanced at 1,47,524 cusecs.
Following the closure, three gates on the left and one on the right remained open. The spillway was releasing 1,13,722 cusecs, while the power channel carried 30,461 cusecs. Industrial use accounted for 229 cusecs, and canal discharge stood at 3,112 cusecs.
Downstream discharge varied: Belgaon recorded 14,800 cusecs, Patharla 35,621 cusecs, Khairmal 2,02,000 cusecs, Barmul 1,77,500 cusecs, and Mundali 1,55,182 cusecs. Trends differed across sites, with Barmul showing a rise, Belgaon and Patharla falling, and Mundali remaining steady.
