The Hirakud Dam will release its first floodwater of the monsoon season on Thursday. Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout confirmed that four gates will open at 11 AM to manage rising water levels in the reservoir.
The water level currently stands at 611.23 feet, with inflow recorded at 2.62 lakh cusecs. Officials plan to gradually increase the outflow to 1 lakh cusecs by opening more gates in phases. At Mundali, the outflow has reduced from 5.54 lakh cusecs on Tuesday night to 4.80 lakh cusecs, and it is expected to decrease further.
Rout assured that downstream areas face no immediate flood threat due to the controlled release. The operation is part of routine reservoir management aimed at balancing inflow and outflow during the monsoon.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting of the Flood Crisis Management Team is underway in Sambalpur under the chairmanship of the Central Water Commission. Senior engineers from Odisha and Chhattisgarh are participating to discuss strategies for effective reservoir management and flood control.
Officials emphasised that the measured release of water will ensure safety while maintaining reservoir stability. The Water Resources Department continues to monitor rainfall, inflow, and river discharge to adjust operations as needed.
