Authorities at the Karnafuli Hydro Power Station opened all 16 spillway gates of the Kaptai Dam on Saturday morning following a sharp rise in the water level of Kaptai Lake. The rise has been attributed to continuous heavy rainfall and hilly runoff descending from upstream.
At approximately 11am, the 16 gates were opened by six inches each, resulting in the discharge of nearly 9,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water into the Karnafuli River.
Mahmud Hasan, Manager of the Karnafuli Hydro Power Station, explained that the lake’s maximum water retention capacity is 109 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL). While the gates are typically opened when the level reaches 107 feet, the decision was taken to release water at the 105-foot mark on Saturday to manage the increasing pressure.
The Kaptai Dam was constructed in 1960 across the Karnafuli River in Kaptai Upazila to facilitate hydroelectric power generation. This created a vast reservoir covering 725 square kilometres, making it the largest man-made lake in South-East Asia.
Although the project resulted in the submergence of 54,000 acres of agricultural land in Rangamati district, it currently produces 230 megawatts of electricity from five units and generates substantial revenue through fisheries.
