Improvement in water level at Bhakra and Pong Dam
August 08, 2012 01:06 PM
By Vinod Gupta
CHANDIGARH: Water level in Bhakra and Pong reservoirs, which is important for irrigation, drinking water and power generation has started showing improvement in the wake of flash floods and heavy rains in its catchment areas.

Water level in Bhakra today stands at 1,588.11 feet, higher from low level of 1,555.65 feet as on July 21. Similarly, water level in Pong dam increased from 1,288.76 feet on July 21 to 1,321.4 feet. However, the current water level in both reservoirs was below the levels in corresponding period of last year. Last year water level in Bhakra was 1588.11 feet and in Pong Dam 1363.25 feet.

The average water inflow in Bhakra reservoir during last 10 days of July was 38772 cusecs which was less than the inflow of 46088 cusecs in a dry year. Similarly at Pong Dam the average water inflow 28702 cusecs which was slightly more than inflow of 21267 cusecs in a dry year.The water level in Bhakra and Pong increased significantly after heavy rains in the catchment areas in Himachal. The average water inflow in Bhakra increase to 50886 cusecs which is more than a dry year inflow pattern of 46364 cusecs. The increase in water level in Pong Dam was more significant and followed a more than mean year pattern of August. The water inflows were 64419 cusecs against mean year’s average of 49460 cusecs.

The maximum inflow for Bhakra was observed on August 5 and was 57809 cusecs. The maximum inflow of 108235 cusecs was observed at Pong Dam on august 4.The water levels in these two reservoirs have risen sharply by about 33 feet at Bhakra and 43 feet at Pong dam during last fortnight. Water level in Bhakra and Pong dams is now rising because of rain in Himachal Pradesh and its catchment areas and snow melting. Rise in water level in Bhakra and Pong dam will bring much-needed relief to the partnering states-Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan as water outflow to these states was already cut by 10 per cent by BBMB in the wake of "alarmingly" low level of water in the reservoirs.

Yesterday water inflow into Bhakra was 39050 cusecs corresponding to 33891 cusecs on the corresponding day last year. In Pong dam, water inflow was 27789 cusecs against last year inflow of 26522 cusecs on same day.The total generation from BBMB projects is 409 lac units daily against last year‘s generation of 446 lac units.