Year's first flood water was released from Hirakud Dam

It was a moment for every one to celebrate. Hundreds of people including the top government officials of the region gathered here to celebrate this occasion. The anxiety and passion of viewing the year’s first flood water was come to an end on Friday afternoon after the opening of 5 slues gates of world famous Hirakud dam reservoir one after another. The sight of gushing water through the gate was worth watching for every one awaited hours earlier of the scheduled time outside the fence. Though it is a regular job of the dam authority that keeps open few gates of the dam every year during the months of July-Sept to discharge the extra water from the reservoir in anticipation of heavy inflow of water from the catchments areas, but every year it begins in the name of almighty. The Dam authority organizes a small function at the Dam site inviting all dignitaries of the region to make the beginning in pious atmosphere. This is a part of the convention that started since the inception of the dam 50 years ago.

“Every year during the month of July we discharge the first floodwater from the reservoir to make the reservoir ready to store heavy inflow of water coming from upspring. As per the curb rule, the water level of the reservoir should be kept at 603 to 606 in the month of July. Since water level has already crossed 613 feet till Friday we immediately decided to discharge the extra water to maintain the level for ensuing flood water coming from upspring catchment areas”, the superintending engineer of the Hirakud Dam project Engineer Janaki Ballav Mahapatra told
According to him, the dam has a convention of discharging the first flood water in presence of the senior level officials of the district that followed after a ceremonious puja to the almighty. “It is a faith and with out this it is difficult to run things properly”, Engineer Mahapatra told. “It is a believed that warship to Biswakarma, the engineer god at the beginning of any work yields good result. So every year during July when we open the first gate we use to warship”, he added
Sources said, the world biggest earthen dam has a total 64 sluice gates (40 on left and 24 on right side of the dam) and 34 crest gates (21 on left and 13 on the right side of the dam) with a total length of 10,759 miters long right dykes and 9,337 miters of left dykes. The total length of the main dam is about 4840 miters that connects Burla in right side and Hirakud town in left side. About 15 thousand cusec water is approximately discharged through one sluice gate.
The Revenue Divisional commissioner of Northern Division (Sambalpur) Mr. Jamil Ahamed Khan switched on crane to open the first gate at about 3.30 pm on Friday after breaking the coconut allowing the flood water gushing out through the gate. The IG of police YB Khurania, Mr. PK Patnaik, Collector (Sambalpur) and Suresh Padhi, Collector (Bargarh) and superintending engineer of the Hirakud man dam project JB Mahapatra were also following the same action switched on one by one gate in a row.
The gates are opened through an EOT (electric operated travel) crane built in German technology. To open the gate one has to switch the push button to operate the EOT crane. Surprisingly the crane that was installed during the time of inception is still in working condition with out any fault. “Built by the MAN Company of Germany approximately 50 years back, but the technology is still functioning smoothly till date” SE Mr. Mahapatra told.
“I was thrilled to participate in the ceremony. It was a beautiful sight for me to see the water gushing out the gates forming a beautiful sight. This is not a new thing for me as last year also I attended the same. But every time I see it, it makes me thrilled.” Collector (Sambalpur) P K Patnaik said.
According to him the purpose behind the construction of the dam was power generation, irrigation and flood control and water to industry was added recently. Even after 50 years the Dam continues to serve the purpose. “We feel proud for the gigantic engineering technology that keeps the dam helpful for the state in flood control. Siltation has though reduced the water storage capacity of the Dam still we need water for irrigation water supply and power generation.”, Mr. Patnaik said.

Position of the reservoir on Saturday (afternoon)

Discharge of water
through gates 1, 70,808 cusec

Through
1. Power channel 30,728 cuses
2. Bargarh canal 2200 cuses
3. Sasan canal 61 cuses
4. Sambalpur distributaries 500 cuses
5. Hirakud canal 07 cuses

No of gates opened - 13 gates
Water level of reservoir – 614.25 feet
Inflow of water. 2, 40.304 cuses
Outflow of water 2, 40.304 cuses
Power generation
PH 1(Burla) — 207.500 MW
PH2 (Chipilima) -- 25.375 MW
Rainfall up-stream 01.69mm
Rainfall down-stream 10.16mm
NB: there is no record about the water taken by the industrial houses