Mula Dam Releases Water After Three Years — 500 Cusecs Flowing Into River Channel by End of October
Unseasonal rains increase reservoir levels; first October water release since 2022 — farmers relieved but cautious as erratic weather continues across Ahmednagar district.
Rahuri (Ahmednagar):
Even as the monsoon has officially withdrawn, unseasonal rainfall continues across parts of Maharashtra, leading to a rise in the water level of the Mula Dam. For the first time in three years, water is being released from the dam into the river channel — 500 cusecs by Monday morning.
According to irrigation officials, this is the first October-end discharge since 2022, marking a rare occurrence triggered by continuous post-monsoon showers. The Mula irrigation division confirmed that the discharge began at 300 cusecs on Sunday night and was increased to 500 cusecs on 27 October.
The dam currently holds a stable stock of 26,000 million cubic feet (mcft), with consistent inflows from the upper catchment areas of Rahuri, Sangamner, and Parner talukas. Over the past five years, a total of 16,703 mcft of water has been released towards the Jayakwadi dam system.
Officials including Executive Engineer Sayali Patil, Deputy Engineer Vilas Patil, and Section Engineer Rajendra Parkhe supervised the latest release. A siren warning was issued before opening the gates to ensure safety.
Historically, a similar situation was recorded in 2006, when post-monsoon floods forced a discharge of 1,000 cusecs, and again in 2022, when 700 cusecs were released. The return of heavy unseasonal rain this year has revived the river flow across Rahuri taluka, bringing temporary relief to farmers while also highlighting the unpredictable nature of recent weather patterns.
Farmers in the region, recovering from crop losses due to excessive rainfall and flooding earlier in the season, are now watching closely as water management decisions could affect their rabi sowing plans in the coming weeks.
