Sambalpur: The Hirakud Dam authorities will open five sluice gates today to release the season’s first flood waters from Mahanadi. While all preparations have been completed, the water will be released after a customary puja at the dam site. Initially, five sluice gates of the Dam opened today in the first phase – three from the left side and two from the right side gates. As per practice, the Gate-7 of the dam will be opened first. The authorities will release 75000 cuses of water through the five gates.
Currently, the water level at the Hirakud Dam stands at 614.43 feet against the full reservoir level of 630 feet. While the inflow of water into the reservoir stands at 88,932 cusec, 38,119 cusecs water is being released into Mahanadi through the power channel.