Rangamati, Sept 12 (V7N) – The water level of Kaptai Lake in Rangamati, one of Southeast Asia’s largest artificial lakes, is rising rapidly again, prompting authorities to reopen all 16 spillway gates of the Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Station to release excess water and reduce the risk of flooding and erosion in different parts of the district.
The gates were reopened at 8am on Friday, with each of the 16 gates raised by six inches to begin discharging water. The lake’s water level currently stands at 105.51 feet above mean sea level (MSL).
According to the Kaptai Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station, the lake’s water level has been rising rapidly in recent days, while several areas of Rangamati district have experienced flooding of homes and incidents of erosion.
In response, authorities have begun releasing water through the spillway gates as a precautionary measure before the situation deteriorates further.
Under the current decision, all 16 gates will be closed once the lake’s water level falls to 105 feet.
Earlier, on August 29, authorities similarly opened all 16 spillway gates by six inches after the lake’s water level exceeded 106.01 feet MSL. At that time, approximately 9,000 cubic feet of water per second (cusecs) was discharged.
The gates were subsequently opened in stages depending on the lake’s water level. At one point, each gate was opened to a height of three feet, allowing around 58,000 cusecs of water to be released. The gates were later closed after the water level declined and conditions returned to a normal range.
However, the lake’s water level began rising again within a few days, prompting authorities to reopen the 16 gates by six inches each from Friday morning under the same process.
Mahmud Hasan, manager of the Kaptai Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station, confirmed the development.
“The lake’s water level is currently 105.51 feet. Considering the situation, all 16 spillway gates have been opened by six inches each to release water. The gates will be closed once the water level stabilises at 105 feet,” he said.
Authorities said Kaptai Lake has a maximum water-holding level of 109 feet MSL. They are therefore releasing water in a controlled manner before the lake approaches that level in an effort to minimise the risk of flooding and erosion in surrounding areas.
END/AMR/SMA/
