Officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) have issued the first warning at Prakasam Barrage here. The first warning was issued as the flood discharge at the barrage exceeded 3.97 lakh cusecs by 9.30 a.m. on Friday.
Vijayawada Irrigation Circle Superintending Engineer Sesham Tirumala Rao said that the flood level was 3.66 metres (12 ft) over the crest of the barrage with all the shutters in ‘clear condition’. The flood discharge exceeded 3.97 lakh cusecs, and further increase was expected. The officials were asked to arrange extra watchers, and warn the flood duty officers.
The first warning is issued if the flood level is 3.66 metres over the crest of Prakasam Barrage with all shutters in ‘clear condition’ and discharge exceeds 3.97 lakh cusecs.
Pulichintala
At Pulichintala Project, the officials released more than 4,36,372 cusecs into river Krishna at 6 a.m., while it received about 4,01,695 cusecs from the Nagarjuna Sagar Project. The project authorities have released 4,30,372 cusecs of excess water by lifting 17 radial gates of the total 24 — 15 gates to a height of 3.5 metres and 2 gates at a height of 4 metres. At the same time, about 6,000 cusecs of water was released through Power House.
Later in the evening, Pulichintala Project discharge declined slightly, and the project officials closed three gates, and are releasing about 3,51,946 cusecs by lifting 14 radial gates to a height of 3.5 metres and 6,000 cusecs of water from the Power House. As of now, Pulichintala Project has 32.7119 tmcft of water of a total capacity of 45.77 tmcft, and the dam level is 165.844 feet against full reservoir level of 75 feet. The inflows at Pulichintala, officials say, from the Nagarjuna Project are declining from 4,01,695 cusecs to 3,92,623 cusecs. But, the surplus received at the Prakasam Barrage is 4,46,793 cusecs and the department authorities lifted all 70 gates and released about 4,33,650 cusecs of flood downstream of the barrage.
The second warning at Prakasam barrage would be issued when the flood level is 4.5 metres (15 ft) over the crest of the Prakasam Barrage with all shutters in condition and discharge exceeds 5.69 lakh cusecs.
