Surat: Gujarat’s second-largest dam, Ukai, is now 100 percent full with water today. Ukai achieved the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 105.16 meters after 8 a.m. today. With this, the storage in the dam is 7,416.14 MCM against the designed gross storage capacity of the dam, which is 7,414.29 MCM.

Ukai is considered a lifeline of the southern Gujarat region. It achieved 100 percent storage for the first time in this monsoon season today. There were opportunities last month to reach the top level, but the government decided against it and water was released heavily due to continuous rainfall in the catchment area of the dam to ensure the safety of Surat for the remaining period of the monsoon season, which is now nearly at its end.

As of 12 noon today, there is still an inflow of over 11,000 cusecs, but this extra water is being released into the riverbed of the Tapi, which will take this water to the sea through Gujarat’s second largest city Surat. Additionally, a routine 800 cusecs of water is being released into the canal.

Meanwhile, the largest dam in Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada, also achieved its full storage capacity today, after which the CM worshiped the Narmada water to mark the occasion in Kevadiya. With this, the first and second largest dams of Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar, considered the lifeline of Gujarat, and Ukai, known as the lifeline of South Gujarat, have achieved full storage capacity.

Damanganga, the other dam crucial for the South Gujarat region had already achieved top level but lot of water was continuously released in downstream for flood control. It is at present 99.46 percent full, and with the inflow of water from upper regions, it is likely to achieve full capacity once again this year soon. DeshGujarat