Incessant heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has significantly raised the water levels in the Pong and Bhakra dams, forcing authorities to release excess water. The discharge has led to flooding in several villages downstream, officials of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) said on Tuesday.
Located on the state’s border with Punjab, about 250 km from Shimla, the Pong dam caters to the irrigation needs of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
The spillways of both dams have been opened to flush out excess water as a precautionary measure, a BBMB official told IANS.
According to the official, a discharge of up to 50,000 cusecs from Pong is not considered flooding downstream. However, the outflow has risen significantly in recent days.
“The outflow was 62,000 cusecs at 4 p.m. on August 25, which increased to 66,000 cusecs by 6 p.m. By 5 a.m. this morning, it rose further to 68,000 cusecs and reached 75,000 cusecs at 9 a.m. The discharge may be increased further,” the official said, adding that an alert has been sounded as the release could impact villages and towns, mainly in Punjab.
Seven villages in the Jawali area of Kangra district have been the worst affected within Himachal Pradesh, as excess water has entered houses and damaged standing crops.
Regular spells of heavy rain this monsoon have pushed water levels in both Pong and Bhakra to alarming levels. The Pong dam recorded a water level of 1,388.90 feet, while Bhakra stood at 1,667 feet. The floodgates of Bhakra were opened on August 19 for the first time in two years.
The last time Bhakra’s gates were opened was on August 13, 2023, when water levels reached 1,672 feet.
At 1,388.90 feet, inflows into the Pong reservoir were recorded at 2,50,957 cusecs while heavy rains continued in the region.
Official data shows the maximum capacity of the Bhakra dam is 1,702 feet, while the upper limit of Pong dam is 1,393 feet.
Authorities noted that water levels in both reservoirs are higher this year compared to last year, as the southwest monsoon has remained particularly intense over Himachal Pradesh.
The filling season for both dams is expected to conclude by mid-September. While the Bhakra dam is built on the Sutlej River, the Pong dam is situated on the Beas River.
(IANS)