Pune: The collective dam storage in Pune haven’t seen a rise despite the early monsoon arrival. In fact, the Khadakwasla circle’s four dams recorded a slight drop in storage over the past two weeks, reaching 5.47 TMC (18.8%) on Saturday. Irrigation department officials, however, said the situation wasn’t worrisome yet, but continuous rain was needed in the catchments to boost water levels.The officials said the collective storage in four dams in the Khadakwasla circle was 0.25 TMC less than the collective stock recorded on May 25, when the monsoon arrived in the city. “The existing stock can meet the city’s water requirement for the next two months. Thus, the city will continue to receive water from Khadakwasla without any supply cuts,” an irrigation department official said, while hoping that the monsoon would revive by next week, as per the IMD forecast.The official said, “Heavy spells were received in the catchments at the time of the monsoon’s arrival. Since then, however, the rainfall intensity has dropped. The catchments are recording sporadic rain spells. Our teams are monitoring the water levels (in the dams). There has been no significant rise in water levels in any of the dams in Pune district in the last two weeks.”On Saturday, all the four dams recorded single-digit rainfall, with Khadakwasla receiving 3mm, while Temghar recorded 5mm. Panshet and Varasgaon dams received 4mm of rainfall each. The irrigation department said water release from Khadakwasla for crops had been stopped. Sources from the department said dams recorded scanty rain in the past at the time of the monsoon’s arrival. “The rainfall activity increases towards the June-end and continues till Aug. Last year, the dams received heavy spells in the last week of June,” another official said.According to the irrigation department’s data, the water stocks in dams are in a better position than last year when the collective storage in the Khadakwasla circle dropped to 4.33 TMC in the first week of June. This year, the dams are holding over 1 TMC more water compared to the same period last year.Pune: The collective dam storage in Pune haven’t seen a rise despite the early monsoon arrival. In fact, the Khadakwasla circle’s four dams recorded a slight drop in storage over the past two weeks, reaching 5.47 TMC (18.8%) on Saturday. Irrigation department officials, however, said the situation wasn’t worrisome yet, but continuous rain was needed in the catchments to boost water levels.The officials said the collective storage in four dams in the Khadakwasla circle was 0.25 TMC less than the collective stock recorded on May 25, when the monsoon arrived in the city. “The existing stock can meet the city’s water requirement for the next two months. Thus, the city will continue to receive water from Khadakwasla without any supply cuts,” an irrigation department official said, while hoping that the monsoon would revive by next week, as per the IMD forecast.The official said, “Heavy spells were received in the catchments at the time of the monsoon’s arrival. Since then, however, the rainfall intensity has dropped. The catchments are recording sporadic rain spells. Our teams are monitoring the water levels (in the dams). There has been no significant rise in water levels in any of the dams in Pune district in the last two weeks.”On Saturday, all the four dams recorded single-digit rainfall, with Khadakwasla receiving 3mm, while Temghar recorded 5mm. Panshet and Varasgaon dams received 4mm of rainfall each. The irrigation department said water release from Khadakwasla for crops had been stopped. Sources from the department said dams recorded scanty rain in the past at the time of the monsoon’s arrival. “The rainfall activity increases towards the June-end and continues till Aug. Last year, the dams received heavy spells in the last week of June,” another official said.According to the irrigation department’s data, the water stocks in dams are in a better position than last year when the collective storage in the Khadakwasla circle dropped to 4.33 TMC in the first week of June. This year, the dams are holding over 1 TMC more water compared to the same period last year.
