Jamshedpur : The city has received record rainfall. According to experts the abundant rainfall this monsoon will ensure that the city does not have to face water crisis at least next two years even if there is scanty rainfall.
The Monsoon has been kind on the city this time. Meteorological data revealed that the state alone has so far received 865.5mm of rainfall . East Singhbhum tops the surplus list with 73 per cent followed by Latehar with 22 per cent. East Singhbhum received 1,572.9mm against a normal 908.3mm because of its proximity to Bengal.
Jusco recently also opened two radial gates of the Dimna reservoir, after a span of nearly three years (last time the gates were opened was in August 2013) after water crossed the crest level of the spillway (525 feet) and almost reached the maximum level (530 feet).
� The rainfall has been good this time. We have to open two radial gates of the reservoir after the water reached the maximum level. We are monitoring the situation and would close the gates as soon as water level subsides. This has happened after three years,� said an official.
Dimna Lake situated nearly 13 km from city is spread in an area of 5.5 sq km is one of the sources of potable water for the steel city and Tata Steel works and has a water storage capacity of 75.70 million gallon. For the records, Jusco supplies 200 million litres of potable water daily in its command areas in the steel city.
As of now, Jusco has over 58,000 water connections catering to a population of over 7 lakh. The water supply as of now is twice a day. The Dimna Dam owned by Tata Steel which became operational in 1944 has eight radial gates each of size 8 feet x 30 feet. The dam length is 279.57 meter.
As per data available with the water management unit of Jusco, the water level in Subernarekha river from the Jusco draws its maximum water for city use reached 394.7 feet (as on April 11) the minimum in the last three years.
The local IMD observatory recorded very heavy rain of 219.4 mm , the highest in last eight years in August. In Met parlance, “heavy rain” translates into 64.5mm to 124.4mm on a single day while “very heavy rain” means 124.5mm to 244.4mm in a day. “Extremely heavy rain” refers to 244.5mm or more.
Statistics show that on June 18, 2008, the day monsoon arrived in Jharkhand that year, the steel city had registered 338mm rainfall, the heaviest on a single day and the highest ever in Jamshedpur and in entire Jharkhand.
The data further revealed that 219.4 mm rain is the highest ever single day’s record in August, the third month of four-month long monsoon.