Following recent torrential rains, authorities at Pune’s Khadakwasla Dam have significantly increased water discharge, releasing 11,704 cusecs of water into the city’s waterways. This move comes after an initial release of 5,136 cusecs on July 29, which was then ramped up to 7,704 cusecs by the evening, reaching the peak discharge rate of 11,704 cusecs by late night.
The decision to ramp up the water release follows heavy rainfall in the catchment areas, which has caused the dam’s water level to rise rapidly. This increase in discharge was necessary to manage the water levels and mitigate potential flooding risks in the city. The irrigation department has also announced that water will be released from Panshet and Warasgaon Dams as their levels have surpassed 80% of capacity.
The recent rain patterns have seen a temporary reduction in rainfall over Pune after a period of intense precipitation. On July 24, torrential rainfall led to a substantial water release from the Khadakwasla reservoir, but conditions have since stabilized with reduced rainfall over the past few days. However, the weather forecast indicates that rainfall is expected to intensify again starting August 1.
Shilpa Apte, a senior meteorologist from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune, explained that a low-pressure system extending from Gujarat to Kerala is responsible for the recent weather patterns. She noted that while rainfall in Pune is expected to subside temporarily, a yellow alert remains in effect until July 31. The IMD forecasts that monsoon activity will likely pick up again in the first week of August.
Anupam Kashyapi, former head of the weather and forecasting division at IMD Pune, indicated that earlier predictions of a possible monsoon break in early August have been revised. Current observations suggest that monsoon activity will continue with moderate rainfall expected in isolated areas.
On July 30, Pune experienced rain throughout the day, with Shivajinagar recording 7.6 mm of rainfall by 6 PM. Meanwhile, key dams in the region are maintaining significant water levels: Pavana Dam at 73.59%, Bhama Askhed Dam at 68.51%, and Ujani Dam at 36.42%.
Sources By Agencies
