Decision on reducing water release from Pong dam next week

With water level in Pong dam remaining "worrisome" due to "deficient" rains in catchment areas, Bhakra Beas Management Board today said a decision on cutting down water release from the reservoir will be taken in consultation with three partnering states next week.
BBMB has already alerted partnering states --Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan-- about the possibility of cutting down water release to these states in the wake of "lower" water level in Pong dam.
"The current water level situation in Pong dam is worrisome. In the last meeting, we had alerted partnering states on cutting down water release so that we remain comfortable post water filling period," BBMB Member (Irrigation) S L Aggarwal said here today.

"And now the decision with regard to how much water release be reduced from Pong dam will be taken in the next review meeting which may take place next week," he said.
Noting that BBMB is constantly reviewing the weather conditions, Aggarwal said rains in several parts in northern region during the past 24 hours have not brought any relief as far as the water level in Pong dam is concerned.
"There has not been any relief because of rains as catchment areas of Pong dam have not received showers," he said.

With "deficient" rains, the water level in Pong dam today stood at 1,337.52 feet, which is 31.60 feet less than the level of 1,369.12 feet recorded on the same day last year.

The inflow of water in Pong dam was recorded at 25,815 cusec, against 38,102 cusec on the same day last year, said an official.
Pong dam, set up on Beas river, is dependent mainly on rains in its catchment areas for filling up of its reservoir.
However, the water level in the Bhakra Dam was "reasonably good" today at 1,655.14 feet, 3.71 feet higher than 1,651.43 feet during corresponding period last year.
"The water level in Bhakra dam is reasonably good because of snow melting and rains," he said.
The inflow of water in Bhakra reservoir was 48,733 cusec, against 44,727 recorded on the same day last year. The outflow of water was 25,500 cusec against 35,791 cusec last year.

Bhakra and Pong dams are to be filled up to a level of 1,680 feet and 1,390 feet, respectively, by September.
The three states get water from Bhakra and Pong dams for various purposes, including irrigation.