Rain in catchment area, water flow in Yamuna rises to 2,21,786 cusecs

Tribune News Service

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, August 11

The flow of water in the Yamuna at the Hathni Kund barrage in Yamunanagar district rose to 2,21,786 cusecs at 2 pm on Thursday due to heavy rain in its catchment areas (in the hills of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand). As per the record of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Yamunanagar, this is the highest flow the water has reached this rainy season in the Yamuna, so far.

Classification of flood

• The water flow from 70,000 cusecs to 1.5 lakh cusecs is considered low flood
• From 1.5 lakh cusecs to 2.5 lakh cusecs is considered medium flood
• The water flow above 2.5 lakh cusecs is high flood

The water in the Yamuna rose to 8,28,072 cusecs at the Hathni Kund barrage in August 2019, the highest in the past more than 100 years.

According to information, the water flow of the Yamuna recorded 33,039 cusecs at the barrage at 4 am, today. But, it rose to 76,795 cusecs at 6 am and reached to 2,21,786 cusecs at 2 pm.

However, it started receding at 3 pm and recorded 1,95,905 cusecs at 5 pm.

“The heavy rain in the catchment areas of the river has led to the rise in water level of the Yamuna,” said Vinod Kumar, Executive Engineer, Water Services Division, Dadupur of Yamunanagar district.

He said the rainy season starts from July 1 and ends on September 30 every year.

“The water flow from 70,000 cusecs to 1.5 lakh cusecs is considered low flood, from 1.5 lakh cusecs to 2.5 lakh cusecs is considered medium flood and the water flow above 2.5 lakh cusecs is considered high flood,” said XEN Vinod Kumar.

He said the gates of the Western Jamuna Canal (WJC) and Eastern Jamuna Canal (EJC) were closed to let the entire water flow downstream into the Yamuna.

“It has always been a practice to stop water supply to the WJC and EJC once the water flow at the Hathnikund barrage exceeds 70,000 cusecs level, as this can damage the gates of the canals,” said XEN Vinod Kumar.

He further said the power generation in hydel projects, four government-run hydel projects and one private company run hydel project constructed on the WJC in Yamunanagar district, had also become non-functional after the rise in the water level of the Yamuna.

According to information, flood-like situation is normally announced when the water flow touches 2.5 lakh cusecs mark at the barrage. The water reaches Delhi from the Hathnikund barrage in about 72 hours.

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