5 months ago
2
A calibrated h2o merchandise strategy from Chennai’s large reservoirs since the commencement of the Northeast monsoon helped forestall abrupt flooding successful the downstream areas, arsenic gradual discharges kept retention levels wrong the harmless portion contempt persistent inflows, according to the Water Resources Department (WRD).
Shutters of Red Hills, Chembarambakkam, and Poondi reservoirs proceed to merchandise minimal quantities of h2o arsenic the h2o bodies are brimming with water. The 5 drinking h2o reservoirs unneurotic clasp 92.4% of their combined storage.
Residents said low-level pockets similar Ezhil Nagar successful northbound Chennai, which were battered by a torrential downpour during December archetypal week, were waterlogged. However, areas prone to flooding erstwhile surplus h2o is released from Red Hills and Poondi reservoirs had a respite this time.
Cyclone Ditwah and its process dumped monolithic amounts of rainfall implicit Tiruvallur and northbound Chennai areas. Areas similar Ennore and Manali New Town unsocial received astir 62 cm and 56 cm of rainfall dispersed implicit 3 days. P.K.Thenkanal Isaimozhi of Manali New Town said areas similar Manali New Town lodging committee and Ponniamman Nagar get waterlogged for 2 oregon 3 days whenever surplus h2o is discharged from Red Hills oregon Poondi reservoirs.
“We were spared flooding this clip due to the fact that of the gradual h2o merchandise and operation of caller canals. Portions of bund on the Kosasthalaiyar stream were besides strengthened,” said Mr. Isaimozhi.
Officials of the WRD said the riverine flooding did not compound waterlogging successful northbound Chennai dissimilar successful the past. Apart from betterment works successful waterways, the section adopted a strategy of maintaining a minimal outflow to sphere a flood buffer abstraction up of dense rainfall.
Floodgates were operated based connected the inflow and rainfall alternatively than being kept unfastened continuously adjacent connected adust days. In Red Hills reservoir alone, floodgates were opened six times since the onset of the monsoon.
“We closed shutters and built up retention during dense rainfall to let section flooding to drain successful downstream areas. On adust days aft the release, h2o from Araniyar anicut was diverted to Poondi. Similarly, h2o from Kesavaram and Korattur anicuts was conveyed to Chembarambakkam to augment storage,” said an official.
The section besides deployed teams to show floodwater travel successful controlled and uncontrolled arms of rivers. “We alternated shutter operations betwixt Poondi and Red Hills reservoirs to forestall inundation and strain connected waterways during highest inflows. Surplus h2o from Poondi reservoir was diverted done the nexus canal connected immoderate days to hold highest travel successful waterways,” the authoritative added.
Meanwhile, proceedings runs are underway to automate the floodgate cognition astatine the reservoirs done Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.
