3 gates of Srisailam Dam lifted

Hyderabad: The irrigation department officials on Saturday opened three gates of Srisailam Dam up to 10 feet height and releasing water downstream.

Before opening the two gates, Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu performed pooja to Goddess Gangamma. As many as 50,000 cusecs of water released from Srisailam Dam would reach Nagarjuna Sagar Project in Nalgonda district.

The Minister and officials opened gate number five, six and seven to release water. The Dam is presently receiving over 93,000 cusecs of inflows from Priyadarshini Jurala project and Sunkesula reservoir.

As against its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 885 ft, the water levels in Srisailam Dam reached over 882.50 ft.

Villagers from the dam and devotees heading towards Srisailam temple stopped on the ghat road and viewed the water gushing out of the dam.

Officials cautioned the villagers residing near the dam not to visit the downstream areas.

With heavy rains continue to lash the State, the inflows swelled to 38,953 cusecs at 9 am, the irrigation authorities at the Singur project have lifted the two crest gates of the multipurpose project to let 21,280 cusecs downstream the river course.

Meanwhile, the Hydel Project was also being operated to let 2,570 cusecs of water downstream, taking total outflows to 23,850 cusecs.

The Singur Project, which was having 29.91 tmcft of storage capacity, was filled to the brim as it has been receiving continuous inflows. Since the Manjeera catchment area was receiving copious rains, the project, built at Singur in Pulkal Mandal of Sangareddy district across river Manjeera, is expected to receive the inflows for the next couple of days.

Earlier in the day, as the heavy rains continue to lash Hyderabad since Friday morning, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has opened two more gates of the Osman Sagar up to three feet. It is reported that four gates of the reservoir are open to three feet as of now.

The water level at the reservoir was recorded at 1,786.65 feet against the FTL of 1,790 feet and 2,000 cusecs was the recorded outflow. The outflow was 1, 248 cusecs.

Meanwhile, at Himayat Sagar, the water level was recorded at 1,760.65 feet against the FTL of 1,763.50 feet and 500 cusecs was the recorded inflow, the outflow is 686 cusecs. Two gates of the reservoir are kept open.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials are also monitoring the Hussain Sagar as the water level has crossed the FTL.

The water level in the Hussain Sagar was recorded at 513.43 m against the FTL of 513.41 m. The maximum water level of the lake is 514.75 m.