Dhauliganga dam opens, Mahakali River flow rising

The dam of the Dhauliganga Hydropower Project, located in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, India, was opened early Tuesday morning. On Monday, the Darchula District Administration Office had informed the public that the gates of the dam would open from 6 AM Tuesday and warned people to stay away from the banks of the Mahakali River and be alert.

According to a letter from NHPC Limited and Dhauliganga Power Station sent to the Darchula administration, the dam will remain open from 6 AM Tuesday until 6 AM Wednesday. The river level in Mahakali is expected to rise during and after this time, so the public has been urged to remain cautious, said Assistant Chief District Officer Mohan Singh Dhami. He mentioned that the dam was being opened to remove silt.

By 8 AM Tuesday, the water flow in the Mahakali River near Darchula headquarters had started to increase slightly, but not significantly. Local resident Ganesh Datt Badu said the river flow usually increases noticeably around 3 to 4 hours after the dam is opened. He expected a more visible rise in water levels by around 9 or 10 AM.

The local administration has urged people in Darchula and downstream districts like Baitadi, Dadeldhura, and Kanchanpur not to go near the river and to stay alert, as the water level may rise.