Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Morbe water level set to cross last year’s mark DAM OVERFLOW LEVEL 88.00M
There is good news from Morbe dam catchment area for Navi Mumbai residents.
The region has witnessed rainfall that is over 50% of what it had received last year in the same period. The dam is all set to pass the maximum water level it had recorded in the entire monsoon season last year, soon. If the rains continue in similar fashion, the dam could very well overflow, ridding the city of any probability of water cut next year, the kind it had faced this year.
Morbe catchment area has received a total of 2090.80 mm rainfall this year till Friday, as compared to just 1,354.40 mm rainfall it had received till the same date last year.
Due to poor rainfall last year, the dam had this year touched its lowest level at 63.46 m on June 24. However, unlike last year there has been continuous rainfall in the region which has resulted in the dam level rising by around 15m in a month and a half and 10m in a month to 77.92 m on August 5. Last month at the same time the water level was 67.90 m. Last year the water level at the same time was 78.09 m.
In 2015, due to scant rainfall in the entire season, the dam level had risen from its minimum level of 71.87 m by just around 8 m to 79.51 m, which was its maximum level during monsoon. The minimum level in 2015 had been higher because of better rainfall in 2014.
The dam has a total storage capacity of 190 mcm of which the dam at present has 103.610 mcm. Last year at the same time it had 104.863 mcm.
Additional municipal commissioner Ankush Chavan said, “The current water level is very close to the maximum level of last year and is expected to cross it soon. Good rainfall in the rest of the August month and in September should ensure adequate stock in the dam. We are satisfied with the status and the rainfall at the dam.”
He added, “The dam has an overflow level of 88 m which is around 10 m away. We are hoping that continuous rainfall will get us to the mark.”