E-Paper
Respite for Marathwada as Jayakwadi dam records 25% water storage on Aug 7
As per official data, the dam recorded 15% increase in the last 48 hours and water level rose from 10% to 25%
The Marathwada region got a breather as the Jayakwadi dam on the Godavari river recorded 25% water storage level on August 7. As per official data, the dam recorded 15% increase in the last 48 hours and water level rose from 10% to 25%.
Earlier, there was serious concern over the Jayakwadi dam’s water storage level after the dam recorded just 5.21% water storage till July 27 despite the region receiving above normal rainfall in the month of July. However, the recent heavy monsoon spell in the Nashik and Ahmednagar districts resulted in a significant increase in the Jayakwadi dam’s water level. With water released from Bhandardara, Darna, Mutha, Nandur Madhmeshwar and many other dams upstream, the water level in the Jayakwadi dam increased significantly and in the last 48 hours, it reached 25%.
Water from the Jayakwadi dam is used mainly for irrigation in drought-prone Marathwada and for drinking and other purposes in towns, villages and municipalities of the Aurangabad and Jalna districts.
Santosh Tirmanwar, Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation, said, “The dam storage has increased by 15% in the last 48 hours. It is expected to increase further by 2% as the water inflow has reduced from the dams located upstream as well as rainfall activities too have reduced. With two months of the monsoon remaining, we are hopeful that this year, the dam water level will reach at least 75% till the end of the monsoon season.”
“Currently, we have adequate water level to supply water for drinking as well as for industry use for a year. The water is being supplied to districts including Aurangabad, Beed and Jalna. Apart from that, several villages are also getting drinking water from this dam. Various MIDCs in the Marathwada region get water supply from the Jayakwadi dam,” said Tirmanwar.
Meanwhile, the Ujani dam located on the border between Pune and Solapur districts recorded 100% water storage level. Currently, nearly 44,000 cusecs water is being discharged from the Ujani dam into the Bhima river. “We have maintained communication with the revenue division about the water release from the Ujani dam and also issued an advisory about water level increase and decrease in the low-lying areas of the Bhima river,” said Raosaheb More, executive engineer, Ujani dam.
