Kottayam: The Dam Safety Organisation is keeping a close watch on the reservoirs as the water level in all major dams has been rising precariously. The organisation, headquartered in Kottayam, is in charge of 58 dams of the state.

Many of the major reservoirs have been filled up to 70 percent of their storage capacity.  

Heavy rain in the catchment areas has forced the dam operators to open the shutters though it meant flooding downstream areas. Three gates of the Lower Periyar reservoir, three gates of the Kallarkutty reservoir, three gates of the Peringalkuthu reservoir and one gate each of the Ponmudi and Moozhiyar dams were opened on Tuesday. The Ponmudi dam was closed ion Tuesday morning, but rising water levels left the officials with no choice but to open the shutter again.

The Idukki dam, the only arch dam in the country, holds record water levels after the recent rain at 2,375.52 feet above sea level, surpassing the previous record of 2,374.11 ft recorded on June 16, 1985. The dam contained 2,316.98 ft of water a year earlier.

Water level in the related Mullaperiyar dam has risen to 131.2 ft, rising 2 ft on average over the previous four days. The dam’s permissible capacity is 142 feet.

As much as 1.5 tmc of water has flowed into the Prambikkulam dam. This is a record too. The old Munnar Headworks dam as well as the Malankara and Kallar dams have been opened. So were the Karappuzha and Banasura Sagar dams. The Irattayar dam has 751.3 ft of water.

Three shutters of the Banasura Sagar dam have been opened after heavy rain. Rain is still unabated in the 1,277 hectares of the dam’s catchment area. A flood alert has been issued to the people living in the low-lying areas along the Kabani River.

As much as 94 cubic meters of water reaches the Banasura Sagar dam every second. The authorities were forced to open the shutters after the water level rose to 775.4 ft by Sunday evening. The dam’s shutters have opened for the first time since 2014. The excess water is flown through the Karamanthode River to one of Kabani’s tributaries. If the rain continues unabated, more shutters may have to be opened.

Shutters of the Moozhiyar dam have also been opened. Rain is lashing the catchment areas of the Kakki and Anathode reservoirs. The Sabarigiri reservoir already holds 62 percent of its storage capacity.

Water levels at main reservoirs

Kochu Pampa - 3,217.19 feet

Kakki - 3,190.34 ft

Sholayar - 2,648.40 ft

Edamalayar - 516.73 ft

Kundala - 5,742.78 ft

Mattuppetti - 5,224.57 ft

Kutiadi - 2,487.00 ft

Banasura Sagar -2,544.62 feet

Anayirankal - 3,924.21 ft

Ponmudi - 2,321.52 ft

Neriamangalam - 1,497.38 ft

Peringalkuthu - 1,391.08 ft

Lower Periyar - 830.38 ft