The Hindu 01.11.2010
Meghadrigedda water released
| Four out of six sluice gates lifted to let out 4,900 cusecs |
Water level reaches 59.9 feet as against a Full Reservoir Level of 61 feet
Heavy rainfall in catchment areas result in inflows reaching 5,000 cusecs
In full flow: Water gushing out of the sluice gates of Meghadrigedda reservoir.
VISAKHAPATNAM: Water has been let out from the Meghadrigedda reservoir for the first time during the current year after a gap of two years.
With the onset of northeast monsoon, there is heavy rainfall in the catchment areas. This has resulted in inflows reaching 5,000 cusecs.
The water level reached 59.9 feet on Sunday morning against a Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 61 feet. As a precautionary measure, irrigation officials began releasing water from Saturday evening and on Sunday four out of six sluice gates were lifted up to two feet releasing 4,900 cusecs. While all the six gates were lifted up to six feet in 2005 when the reservoir reached FRL, releasing 53,000 cusecs, the reservoir came to the full level again only in 2007. In 2009, it got filled only up to 58.5 ft. The Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation takes 10 MGD for supply to Gajuwaka, Mindi, HSL Colony and some large industries around that area.
The reservoir, renamed as Dronamraju Satyanarayana Reservoir, was commissioned in December 1977. After the 2005 floods inundated the Visakhapatnam airport stalling operations for 15 days, drain improvement works were carried out to improve its carrying capacity to 63,000 cusecs. Water merges into the sea at Naval Dockyard marshy area. Large number of people from all over the city thronged the reservoir to have a look at the water gushing out of the sluice gates into the spillway. Water collected from 135 sq. miles in Kothavalasa, Sabbavaram, Sonthyam and surrounding hills get accumulated in the reservoir with 4.4 km of flood bank and an earthen bund of 1.6 km and 240 feet of spillway.
