CHANDIGARH:With the monsoon period coming to end the water level in the Bhakra Dam reservoir
and the Ranjit Sagar Dam reservoir in Punjab remains below normal.
The water level in the Bhakra reservoir is 1661 feet against last year's level of 1675 feet. This is 14 feet less as compared to last year. As per BBMB policy,
the water level in the reservoir can be stored up to 1680 feet by the end of
August. The filling season of BBMB ends on September 20.
This year over-cautious BBMB released Bhakra water continuously downstream deliberately
in summer months to create buffer stock,
irrespective of whether there was a demand for irrigation on several days,
to create the space so as to prevent flooding during monsoons in Punjab.
There was a lot of criticism last year over the release of water during the rainy season.
The dam released nearly 25, 000-35, 000 cusecs water daily before the onset
of monsoon despite normal monsoon forecast this year.
The availability of water in dams is 24 percent below normal in Punjab
This is not only noticeably below last year’s levels but also less than the average storage of the past 10 years.BBMB reservoir is holding 75 %
of total storage capacity and is less than the average of 83% last 10 years.
In Pong Dam, the water level is 1376 feet against the last year level of
1387 feet. At present, it is holding 75 percent of its total water capacity as compared to 89 percent last year and the 10-year average of 83 percent.
Ranjit Sagar Dam reservoir has water level of 515.17 meters against the last
years level of 524.32 meters.