CANACONA: With concerns over deficient rainfall and future water shortages, social worker and youth leader Shubham Komarpant has urged the Water Resources Department (WRD) to undertake dredging of Chapoli Dam to increase its storage capacity.
Komarpant submitted a memorandum to WRD Canacona Assistant Engineer Dayanand Nagvekar on Tuesday, requesting the department to prepare and forward a proposal to the government for dredging the reservoir.
He said increasing the dam’s storage capacity would strengthen Canacona’s water security and provide a greater buffer during years of inadequate monsoon rainfall.
Nagvekar assured Komarpant that the department would initiate the process and take up the proposal with the government.
As of Tuesday evening, Chapoli Dam was holding around 71% of its capacity, with the water level recorded at approximately 35.29 metres RL. The area has received around 1,289.4 mm of cumulative rainfall so far.
The need for greater storage has gained importance as Chapoli Dam has previously witnessed a slow rise in water levels during deficient monsoons. In 2015, after a highly deficient monsoon, the reservoir took nearly four and a half months to reach its maximum level of 38.75 metres on September 16.
Often regarded as Canacona’s lifeline, Chapoli Dam has a catchment area of around 6.83 square kilometres. Its main water source is a natural stream originating in the Chapoli hills, supplemented by rainwater flowing through the valley from the Western Ghats.
The dam is approximately 760 metres long, with a maximum height of 25.50 metres at its deepest point and a live storage capacity of 876.58 hectare-metres. Its full reservoir level is 38.25 metres, while spillage begins at around 38.875 metres.
Komarpant has called for the dredging proposal to be taken up on priority, saying additional storage capacity could help Canacona better withstand future periods of poor rainfall and water scarcity.
