Itiadoh dam in Gondia district has begun overflowing after filling to capacity, releasing 1,017.04 cusecs of water and securing irrigation for 17,900 hectares across Gondia, Bhandara and Gadchiroli during the kharif season.
The overflow began at 6 am on Saturday, and the spillway was discharging 1,017.04 cusecs as of 3 pm on Monday, section engineer Ketan Girhepunje said. The dam’s catchment area has received 1,139 mm of rain this season.
The reservoir’s full level comes as Maharashtra faces a deficient monsoon. The state recorded 798.2 mm of rainfall between June 1 and September 26, against a normal 970.9 mm, representing an 18% deficit. Vidarbha recorded an average shortfall of about 27%, while dry spells have affected kharif crops including soybean, cotton and tur.
Girhepunje said the dam’s water would irrigate 17,900 hectares during the kharif season. Around 12,000 hectares would be covered during the rabi and summer seasons. The water reaches three districts and four talukas through the project’s command area.
Of the total command area, 6,012 hectares are located in Arjuni Morgaon taluka of Gondia, 4,776 hectares in Lakhandur taluka of Bhandara, and 7,192 hectares across Armori and Wadsa talukas of Gadchiroli, according to the project engineer.
The dam has a gross storage capacity of 384.16 million cubic metres, while its latest live storage was recorded at 317.87 million cubic metres. The overflow water will eventually flow into the Wainganga river through a tributary, according to the report.
Girhepunje said Itiadoh dam had been filling continuously for the past five years, although it filled slightly later this year because of lower inflows. The reservoir’s current status provides irrigation support across a large command area despite the wider rainfall deficit, with the project’s next operational significance tied to water distribution during the ongoing kharif season.
