Godavari water level on the rise

Rajamahendravaram: The water level in River Godavari is on the rise since Monday morning due to increasing inflows from its catchment area. The river is receiving 50,000 cusecs of water at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage and officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) are releasing 40,000 cusecs of water into the sea from the barrage. All the 175 gates of Dowleswaram, Ralli, Maddur and Vijjeswaram were lifted to a height of 1.09 metres.

Currently, the water level at the barrage stood at 9.09 feet. First warning will be issued at 11.75 feet water level, second warning at 13.75 feet and third warning at 17.95 feet. The officials released as many as 2,400 cusecs of water to Eastern delta canal, 1,200 cusecs of water to Central delta canal and 3,000 cusecs of water to Western delta canal.

At present the water level at Bhadrachalam is 17.5 feet and the water from Bhadrachalam takes 24 hours time to reach Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram. According to WRD officials, all the officials concerned were directed to check river bunds under their jurisdiction from time to time. Officials at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage were also instructed to check the water level every one hour.