For a week now, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has been issuing “flow forecasts” for nearly 40-storage dams and reservoirs across the country and project officials to “regulate reservoirs as per standard operating manual/rule curve”. Suggesting “to avoid downstream flood and upstream submergence”.
However, there are many instances where the dam operators are not following the procedure properly. The latest floods occurred in Assam’s Bongaigaon and Chirang districts, when dam water was released by Bhutan from the Kurichu dam on the Ai river on the night of August 13.
Last week, the water level in the Ganga in UP’s Prayagraj district crossed the danger mark when the Kanpur barrage released 2.5 lakh cusecs of water and the Matila dam in Hamirpur also released 3 lakh cusecs.
Earlier this month, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the latest deluge of floods in her state was “man-made” and alleged release of nearly 2 lakh cusecs of water from the three Damodar Valley Corporation. . (DVC) dam, which was almost four times the amount of 58,000 cuses to be released by DVC.
Last week in July, during the devastating floods in Chiplun in Maharashtra’s Konkan region, there were complaints that the situation had worsened due to the release of water from upstream dams in Raigad district.
Also on Monday, the CWC issued “inflow forecasts” for 42 reservoirs in nine states – for 23 reservoirs with over 80 per cent and 19 with gross storage over 60 per cent. It also demanded a strict vigil on those reservoirs. Where a warning of “very heavy rain” or “extremely heavy rain” is issued for the next five days. Fortunately, there was no such warning in Monday’s advisory.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also issues flash flood warnings in view of satellite images confirming soil saturation and heavy rainfall.
Therefore, the question is, does the CWC’s advice to dam operators act, especially in view of the forecast of excessive rainfall? Has the loss reduced over the years? What has been the track record?
The South Asia Network for Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) has been tracking the management of dams and reservoirs over the years and claims that there has been no change in dam operations as such.
“This year also, there were several dams that were filled halfway through the monsoon. But they have not followed the rule curve (and), they have not released the water on time,” said Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP.
The ‘rule curve’ can be described as a standard operating procedure for defined dams taking into account the dam capacity, reservoir water level, rainfall, floods etc. to ensure that the structural safety of the dam cause no damage and less flooding downstream. Area.
An advisory issued 24 hours in advance (or sometimes 72 hours in advance) is basically to help the local/civil administration and disaster management agencies to plan evacuation if needed as part of mitigation measures. The CWC claims that it only makes predictions and it is the state governments that ultimately decide the threat perception and take action.
Thakkar said he was suggesting the CWC to release the rule curve with each advisory so that “the information is in the public domain for all to see whether a particular dam is following the rule curve.”
There is an ‘SOP for Flood Forecasting’ by the CWC and dam operators have their own Reservoir Operation Schedules (ROS) – the names are sometimes different in some states – every year. CWC, however, does not issue individual letters or advice. This is the common bulletin for the pan-India situation.
CWC chairman SK Halder said that the general bulletin is in the public domain, mailed to the chief secretaries of the states, heads of departments concerned and the dam owner/operator.
“But ultimately, we can only issue an advisory. Whether to follow it or not is up to the dam owner. It is for him to take the risk for the property created by spending thousands of crores.”
But that’s not just what the CWC does with Advisory. Its own track record of maintaining data is also questionable. “Flood hydrograph for any reservoir is only for 24 hours till the next graph comes. Forget for years, they don’t even have past hydrographs of weeks past. This may hinder and hinder CWC flood forecasting as well as any audit or research,” Thakkar said.
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