Zubair Qureshi
The water level of Islamabad’s Rawal Dam reached its peak Monday morning prompting the authorities to open the spillways for six hours starting 11:00 a.m. the spillways remained open until 5 p.m.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, Hamza Shafqaat the maximum capacity of the dam is 1,752 feet water conservation while the present water level was 1,751.9 feet after which it was decided to reopen the spillways.
Around 6,000 cusecs of water will be discharged from the lake, he said adding it meant 6,000 cubic feet per second.
Earlier, before opening of the spillways, District Administration teams made announcements through mosques in the nearby localities and settlements to beware as water could overflow the banks of the streams and spillways and create problems for them.
Rawal Dam authorities in a statement announced the opening of the spillways at 11:00 due to torrential rainfall in the federal capital and adjoining areas.
Sirens were also raised to warn downstream areas about the flow of the water. The dam administration said after opening the spillways, the water level at Soan river will rise and water could overflow from the banks of the stream.
They also informed that the Rawal Dam has the capacity to hold 1752ft water and the gates of the spillways will remain open till the water level comes down to 1751.40ft.
Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat while talking to Pakistan Observer said it was a routine ‘spill’ and often the dam administration did so after the water level rose to a certain level and there was nothing to worry about.
