Prakasam barrage records highest flood discharge

 Here's some information about the highest discharge data history at the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh: 

 

2 September 2024: The Prakasam Barrage recorded its highest flood discharge in 70 years, releasing 1.18 million cusecs of water by opening all 70 gates. 

 

13 October 2009: The highest recorded flood discharge after the barrage's construction was 11,10,404 cusecs on October 5, 2009. 

 

1998: The previous highest flood discharge was 9,32,000 cusecs. 

 

The Prakasam Barrage was built between 1954 and 1957 to replace the old Anicut. It's one of the first major irrigation projects in South India. The barrage's maximum water storage capacity is about 3.07 TMC (thousand million cubic feet), which helps meet the region's water needs, especially during dry periods. 

https://krmb.gov.in/html/project37.html#:~:text=The%20maximum%20observed%20flood%20inflow,observed%20during%20the%20year%201998.

Prakasam barrage in Andhra Pradesh records highest flood discharge in 70 years
11.06L cusecs of water discharged into the sea by lifting all gates; inflows may decrease on September 3.
A pillar at gate no. 69 of Prakasam Barrage was damaged after boats which came in floodwater got struck  
A pillar at gate no. 69 of Prakasam Barrage was damaged after boats which came in floodwater got struck Photo | Prasant Madugula
S Guru Srikanth
Updated on: 
03 Sep 2024, 9:53 am
2 min read
VIJAYAWADA: Prakasam Barrage on the Krishna River in Vijayawada is experiencing unprecedented water inflows, with a second flood warning in force.
As of 10.00 pm on Monday, officials discharged about 11.06 lakh cusecs of water into the sea from the barrage by lifting all the 70 gates, the highest in the barrage’s 70-year history, said a senior official from the irrigation department. The total capacity of the barrage is 11.9 lakh cusecs.

A pillar at gate no. 69 of Prakasam Barrage was damaged after boats which came in floodwater got struck  

Prakasam Barrage continues to get heavy inflows
Moreover, swift river currents caused four boats to be washed away, colliding with the barrage at gate number 69, causing minor structural damage. Officials assured that the boats would be removed without causing further issues.
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, along with Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu and irrigation officials, inspected the site in the evening and directed immediate action to address the situation.
Previously, the Krishna River saw historic floods from October 2 to 13, 2009, when the maximum inflow recorded at Prakasam Barrage was 11,10,404 cusecs at 11 pm on October 5. The third-highest flood discharge, recorded in 1998, was 9,32,000 cusecs. Senior officials report that torrential rains in Telangana have led to substantial inflows from minor rivers, streams, rivulets, and canals into the Krishna River, as well as from the Pulichintala and Nagarjuna Sagar projects. With water levels from tributaries like Munnery and Paleru subsiding, the flow at Prakasam Barrage is gradually decreasing, reaching 11,14,326 cusecs by 9 pm. It is expected to decrease further by Tuesday.

“All projects on the Krishna River are currently at full capacity. Therefore, the surplus water must be released downstream,” an official stated. “Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala projects are at capacity, and the heavy inflows, due to flash floods and other water bodies, have resulted in record inflows and outflows at the barrage.” The high volume of water raised concerns about weaker sections of the flood banks both upstream and downstream of the barrage.
However, these areas were fortified with sandbags and other materials.
While the situation remains under control, vehicle and pedestrian movement across the barrage has been temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure.