There is unlikely water cut next year in Maharashtra's Raigad district as the Morbe Dam located at Khalapur that supplies water to the city has filled up to 92%. The heavy rainfall in the last two days has pushed up the level of the dam. However, for the dam to overflow, the catchment area requires at least 300 mm more rainfall.
The Morbe dam has been overflowing for the last three years and as a result, there has been no water cut in the area since then.
The catchment area of Morbe Dam in Khalapur received 84 mm rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday night. The dam level reached 86.5 meters against the total capacity of 88 meters.
An engineer at Morbe dam informed that the total storage capacity of the dam is 190.890 million cubic meters (MCM). As of September 23, the storage was at 175.586 MCM which means that it was at 91.98% of its total capacity.
“The maximum water level of the dam when it overflows is 88 meters, and the present level is 86.5 meters till 2 pm of September 23,” said Vasant Padghar, deputy engineer (Morbe Dam).
He added that there is a need for a couple of good rainfalls in the catchment area to reach its capacity.
Last year, the dam had overflown on August 4. However, this year there was scant rainfall at the beginning of the monsoon season due to which the dam level was depleted to a record low.
For the last three years, the dam had been overflowing and if it again happens this year, it will be a record. “As one month of monsoon is left, there is a possibility that the dam will fill to its capacity and citizens will have a chance to cheer,” said another official.
The dam is located in Khalapur in Raigad district and this year, the district has received good rainfall so far. However, the Khalapur taluka has not received as much rainfall compared to other parts of the district. As per the data available with the district administration, the taluka has received 2882 mm rainfall till September 23 which is around 83.15 % of the average rainfall.
As the monsoon withdrawal is expected to start by the end of this week, it is unlikely the dam will overflow.
“In order to overflow the dam, the catchment area requires around 3250 mm rainfall during the monsoon season. This year, so far, the catchment area has 2882 mm rainfall and it requires around 350 mm more rainfall,” said the official.
Rainfall in this monsoon so far:
Present Morbe dam level: 86.5 meters
Total level: 88 meters
Rainfall in Morbe dam catchment area: 2882 mm
Last year overflew on August 4
