Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The inflow of water into the Jayakwadi dam has slowed due to lack of heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of the dam. The command area development authority (Cada) has informed that in 50 days since the onset of monsoon, only 66 MCM of water has been inflowed into Jayakwadi project.
Jayakwadi dam is known as the biggest dam in Marathwada. The thirst of various small, big cities and villages including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna is quenched by the Jayakwadi project. Today, only 27 percent of living water remains in the Jayakwadi project. After heavy rains in Nashik and Ahmednagar districts upstream, water enters Jayakwadi dam.
This year, however, the monsoon started late. Rains also arrived late in the upper part of Jayakwadi dam. As a result, only 108 mm of rain was recorded in the Jayakwadi dam's catchment area during the 50-day period from June 1 to July 20. In the same period, till now only 66 MCM of water had entered the Jayakwadi project.
80 percent water storage in the dam
On July 20 last year, the Jayakwadi project had a water storage of 1737.453 MCM. Last year, the dam was more than 80 percent full of the total storage capacity. Concerned that the inflow in the Jayakwadi has not yet increased, the Collector had last week issued an order prohibiting the release of water from the dam.