Yamuna rises after season's highest Hathnikund release

According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the Yamuna began rising on Wednesday, with the water level increasing from 202.38m to 203.50m.

The Yamuna’s water level in Delhi started rising on Wednesday evening, a day after the Hathnikund barrage released the season’s highest discharge of 63,109 cusecs, officials said, adding that there is no flood risk at present in the national capital, despite the river nearing the warning level.

New Delhi, Jul 23 (ANI): A fisherman is fishing at Wazirabad's Yamuna River, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) ( NEERAJ CHOPRA)

According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the Yamuna began rising on Wednesday, with the water level at the Old Railway Bridge increasing by 1.12m -- from 202.38m at 1am to 203.50m at 8pm. According to the CWC forecast issued on Wednesday morning, the water level is likely to rise by around 1.5m over the next two days.

A senior official from the irrigation and flood control department said the present rise was expected as a large volume of water was released from the Hathnikund.

“The water takes two days to reach Delhi from Yamunanagar in Haryana. The level started rising on Tuesday night, but the situation is well under control. The high flow will cleanse the river. The water level is likely to stabilise after the spike. There is no flooding risk at the moment,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

The Old Railway Bridge at Loha Pul is the reference point for measuring the Yamuna’s water level in Delhi. The warning level is 204.50m and the danger level is 205.33m.

Bhim Singh Rawat, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, said the water level is currently about one metre below the warning level.

In 2023, the Yamuna swelled to its highest-ever level of 208.66m on July 11 following a record discharge of 359,760 cusecs from Hathnikund. It breached embankments and inundated parts of the Outer Ring Road and settlements along the floodplains. In 2024, the peak level was 204.38m on September 26, below the warning level, following the year’s highest discharge of 87,018 cusecs.

Bhim Singh Rawat, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, said the water level is currently about one metre below the warning level.

“Data from upstream shows the water level has stabilised near Baghpat while it is still rising near Palla. The river is likely to rise further over the next 24 hours and may breach the warning level for the first time this season,” Rawat said.

Rawat said water released from Hathnikund typically takes 48-72 hours to reach Delhi during the first flood spell after a prolonged dry summer, but once the river channel is saturated, the travel time reduces.

“Around 38,000 cusecs of water was released around July 10, which caused the level to rise. This time, the water has reached Delhi faster,” he said.