( Feature Image: CWC’s water level gauge set up along Yamuna river at Old Railway Bridge, Delhi. 28 June 2023/ SANDRP)
The analysis of hydrographs being published on Center Water Commission’s (CWC) Flood Forecasting website shows that the previous Highest Flood Levels (HFL) have been breached at least at 34 flood monitoring sites across the country in July 2023. The river basin wise details of all these sites are given in tables below.
Brahmaputra Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | DRF/ Puthumari | Baksa/ Assam | 144.51 m 19.06.2022 | 144.98 m 18:00 hour 20.06.2023 | 0.47 m | ~317 hours |
| 144.45 m 19.06.2022 | 144.79 m 07:00 hour 17.06.2023 | |||||
| 144.43 m 28.08.1988 | 144.73 m 13:00 hour 21.07.2023 | |||||
| 144.54 m 20:00 hour 15.06.2023 | ||||||
| 2 | Sivasagar/ Dikhow | Sivsagar/ Assam | 94.24 m 22.06.2020 | 94.27 m 08:00 hour 17.07.2023 | 0.03 m | ~08 hours |
In Brahmaputra basin two rivers Puthumari river at DRF site and Dikhow river at Sivasagar site in Assam have breached the old HFLs. The Puthumari river at DRF site had attained the 144.98 meter as new HFL on 20.06.2023 but the CWC kept maintaining 144.51 meter as the HFL dated 19.06.2022 for the site until the river stayed in extreme flood situation for two weeks post July 13, 2023.
Hydrograph of Dikhow river at Sivasagar site and Puthumari river at DRF site in extreme flood situation in July 2023.
The CWC has not revealed the reason for maintaining 144.51 meter dated 19.06.2022 as HFL for the site while the 2022 hydrographs for the site showed that the river had not crossed 144.45 meter level around June 19, 2022 which has been mentioned in SANDRP June 2023 report on the HFL breach incidents.
Moreover, the river is seen reaching close to HFL or flowing in extreme flood situation at the site more frequently. The 144.51 meter HFL was breached at least three times between July 13 and July 28, 2023.
Indus Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Gulling/ Spiti | Lahul & Spiti Himachal Pradesh | 3580.27 m 01.08.2019 | 3580.34 21:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 0.07 m | ~04 hours |
| 2 | Ropa/ Ropa Khad | Kinnaur/ Himachal Pradesh | 3048.28 m 17.07.2019 | 3050.85 23:00 hour 09.07.2023 | 2.57 m | ~68 hours |
During flood spell in Himachal Pradesh in second week of July 2023; the HFLs have been breached at least at five sites two of which (Spiti river at Gulling site and Ropa Khad at Ropa site) are in Satluj river basin and three (Meenus at Meenus Khad; Tons at Meenus and Bata river at Ganguwala) are in Yamuna basin.
Hydrographs for Ropa khad and Gulling site in Satluj basin crossing HFL in July 2023.
Yamuna Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Meenus (Khad)/ Meenus | Sirmaur/ Himachal Pradesh | 734.95 m 18.08.2019 | 735.3 m 02:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 0.35 m | ~04 hours |
| 735.2 m 12:00 hour 11.07.2023 | 0.25 m | ~04 hours | ||||
| 2 | Meenus (Tons)/ Tons | Sirmaur/ Himachal Pradesh | 729.02 m 18.08.2019 | 730.35 m 02:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 1.33 m | ~05 hours |
| 729.2 m 13:00 hour 11.07.2023 | 0.18 m | ~02 hours | ||||
| 3 | Ganguwala/ Bata | Sirmaur/ Himachal Pradesh | 372.6 m 18.08.2019 | 373.52 m 11:00 hour 22.07.2023 | 0.92 m | ~04 hour |
| 372.9 m 05:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 0.30 m | ~06 hours | ||||
| 4 | Ghodopipli/ Maskara | Yamuna Nagar/ Haryana | 271.25 m 18.08.2019 | 271.35 m 24:00 hour 11.07.2023 | 0.10 m | ~09 hours |
| 271.33 m 23:00 hour 13.07.2023 | ||||||
| 271.25 m 14:00 hour 10.07.2023 | ||||||
| 5 | Railway Bridge/ Yamuna | North/ Delhi | 207.49 m 06.09.1978 | 208.66 m 18:00 hour 13.07.2023 | 1.17 m | ~68 hours |
| 6 | Manjhawali/ Yamuna | Faridabad/ Haryana | 193.96 m 21.08.2019 | 194.18 m 13:00 hour 14.07.2023 | 0.22 m | ~33 hours |
| 7 | Mohna/ Yamuna | Faridabad/ Haryana | 192.43 m 09.09.1995 | 192.44 m 23:00 hour 14.07.2023 | 0.01 m | ~08 hours |
| 193.13 m 06.09.1978 | ||||||
| 8 | Palwal/ Yamuna | Palwal/ Haryana | 182.25 m 22.08.2019 | 186.49 m 01:00 hour 16.07.2023 | 4.24 m | NA |
| 9 | Shergarh/ Yamuna | Mathura/ Uttar Pradesh | 176.19 m 30.09.2022 | 177.32 m 13:00 hour 16.07.2023 | 1.13 m | ~170 hours |
| 10 | Gokul Barrage/ Yamuna | Mathura/ Uttar Pradesh | 166.17 m 26.09.2010 | 166.22 m 23:00 hour 17.07.2023 | 0.05 m | ~15 hours |
| 11 | Bateshwar/ Yamuna | Agra/ Uttar Pradesh | 131.92 m 02.10.2022 | 133.81 m 11:00 hour 20.07.2023 | 1.89 m | NA |
| 12 | Titawi/ Hindon | Muzaffar Nagar/ Uttar Pradesh | NA | 236.24 m 14.07.2023 | NA | NA |
| 13 | Ratanpuri/ Kali | Muzaffar Nagar/ Uttar Pradesh | 218.05 m 27.09.2022 | 219.08 m 04:00 hour 19.07.2023 | 1.03 m | NA |
| 14 | Shekhpura/ Krishni | Baghpat/ Uttar Pradesh | 215.43 m 29.09.2022 | 216.71 m 07:00 hour 20.07.2023 | 1.28 m | NA |
| 15 | Baleni/ Hindon | Baghpat/ Uttar Pradesh | 210.78 m 31.10.2019 | 211.53 m 17:00 hour 21.07.2023 | 0.75 m | NA |
| 16 | Noida/ Hindon | G.B. Nagar/ Uttar Pradesh | 195.47 m 20.08.2020 | 197.28 m 08:00 hour 26.07.2023 | 1.81 m | NA |
| 193.31 m 20.09.2019 |
New HFLs have been set at least at 16 sites in Yamuna basin. Of these 08 sites are along Yamuna river and 05 sites are along Hindon rivers. Most of the sites namely Manjhawali, Palwal, Shergarh and Bateshwar along Yamuna and Titawi, Ratapuri, Baleni and Noida in Hindon basin are new sites.
CWC’s hydrographs for Meenus, Tons and Bata rivers in Yamuna basin breaching old HFLs in July 2023.
The Delhi Railways Bridge, Mohna site in Faridabad and Gokul barrage sites in Mathura are the few exceptions in the list where Yamuna has crossed old HFLs attained in 1978, 1995 and 2010 respectively.
It is worth adding here that Meenus, Tons and Bata rivers at respective sites have crossed the old HFLs twice in July 2023. Similarly, the Maskara river at Ghodopipli site in Yamuna Nagar district, Haryana crossed the old HFL thrice during the July 2023 month. Interestingly, all these four sites had attained the old HFLs on a same date of 18.08.2019.
Hydrographs of Maskara and Yamuna rivers setting new HFL at Ghodopipli, Manjhawali, Mohna, Palwal sites in July 2023.
Ganga Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Chamiyala/ Bhilangana | Tehri Garhwal/ Uttarakhand | 923.95 m 18.08.2019 | 924.54 m 10:00 hour 26.07.2023 | 0.59 m | ~07 hours |
| 2 | Raysi/ Sonali | Haridwar/ Uttarakhand | 232.24 m 01.09.2018 | 232.94 m 15:00 hour 14.07.2023 | 0.70 m | ~74 hours |
| 3 | Nagina/ Khoh | Bijnor/ Uttar Pradesh | 236.75 m 06.08.2019 | 237.4 m 18:00 hour 13.07.2023 | 0.65 m | ~23 hours |
| 237.25 m 15:00 hour 18.07.2023 | 0.50 m | ~19 hours | ||||
| 236.82 m 10.07.2023 | ||||||
| 4 | Anupshahar/ Ganga | Buland Shahar/ Uttar Pradesh | 180.85 m 17.08.2020 | 180.86 m 05:00 hour 19.07.2023 | 0.01 m | ~16 hours |
| 5 | Kachhla Bridge/ Ganga | Budaun/ Uttar Pradesh | 162.79 m 24.09.2010 | 162.91 m 04:00 hour 20.07.2023 | 0.12 m | ~180 hours |
| 162.80 m 01:00 hour 30.07.2023 | 0.01 m | ~50 hours |
Bhilangane & Solani rivers attaining new HFLs in July 2023.
HFLs are breached at least at five sites in Ganga basin, two of which Chamiyala and Raysi are in Uttarakhand and three in Uttar Pradesh state. Also, only two of the sites Anup Shahar and Kachhla Bridge are on main river Ganga and remaining three are on Bhilangane, Sonali and Khoh, which are tributary rivers.
Hydrographs of Khoh, Kali, Krishni, Hindon and Ganga rivers in extreme flood situation at respective flood monitoring sites in July 2023.
Godavari Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Sirpur/ Wardha | Kumuram Bheem/ Telangana | 162.57 m 15.07.2022 | 162.74 m 11:00 hour 29.07.2023 | 0.17 m | ~16 hours |
| 2 | Bhainsa/ Suddavagu | Nirmal/ Telangana | 354.27 m 16.08.2010 | 354.77 m 17:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.5 m | ~06 hours |
| 3 | Somanpally/ Maner | Karim Nagar/ Telangana | 128.604 m 24.07.1989 | 129.02 m 14:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.416 m | ~10 hours |
| 4 | Sangam/ Murredu | Bhadradri/ Telangana | 57.3 m 17.06.1996 | 57.48 m 14:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.18 m | ~02 hours |
In Godavari basin while river Wardha at Sirpur site has crossed the HFL attained only in July 2022, at other three sites the HFLs have been breached after 1989, 1996 and 2010.
Hydrographs of Wardha at Sirpur site after 2022 and other rivers in Godavari basin attaining new HFLs after decades in July 2023.
Krishna Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Anantharam/ Musi | Nalgonda/ Telangana | 230.21 m 14.10.2020 | 231.1 m 23:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.89 m | ~22 hours |
| 230.7 m 23.07.2022 | ||||||
| 2 | Puleru Bridge/ Poleru | Krishna/ Telangana | 76.79 m 10.08.2008 | 77.057 m 24:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.267 m | ~09 hours |
| 3 | Pomanpalli/ Manerru | Krishna/ Telangana | 70.21 m 30.07.2010 | 70.78 m 21:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.49 m | ~19 hours |
In Krishna basin the Puleru and Manerru rivers have crossed the HFLs after 2008 and 2010. Regarding, Anantharam site on Musi river, the HFL 230.7 meter dated 23.07.2022 has not been updated by the CWC as a reason the river is wrongly shown as crossing old HFL 230.21 dated 14.10.2020 and setting 231.1 meter as new HFL for the site on 27.07.2023.
Hydrographs of Musi and two other rivers in Krishna basin breaching old HFLs in July 2023.
Tapi Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time & Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Talaswada/ Nalganaga | Buldana/ Maharashtra | 226.1 (Date missing) | 227.3 m 16:00 hour 19.07.2023 | 1.2 m | ~08 hours |
Luni Basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL in meter/ Date | New HFL in meter/ Time& Date | Rise above old HFL in Meter | Hours flowing above old HFL |
| 1 | Savni/ Hiran | Gir Somnath/ Gujarat | 20.9 m (Date Missing) | 23.25 m 05:00 hour 19.07.2023 | 2.35 m | ~04 hours |
Rivers Flowing Close to HFLs in July 2023
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | HFL in meters/ Date | Peak Leve/ Time & Date | Missed breaching HFL by meters |
| 1 | Ghoushal/ Chandra | Lahul & Spiti/ Himachal Pradesh | 2855.56 m 20.07.1999 | 2854.94 m 11:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 0.62 m |
| 2 | Miyar/ Miyar Nallah | Lahul & Spiti/ Himachal Pradesh | 2616.97 m 28.07.2013 | 2616.48 m 23:00 hour 21.07.2023 | 0.49 m |
| 3 | Pandoa/ Satluj | Shimla/ Himachal Pradesh | 689.6 m 01.06.2022 | 688.78 m 04:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 0.82 m |
| 740.6 m 03.08.2005 | |||||
| 4 | Gaura/ Ashani | Solan/ Himachal Pradesh | 918.2 m 18.08.2019 | 917.9 m 16:00 hour 09.07.2023 | 0.3 m |
| 5 | Dadahu/ Giri | Sirmaur/ Himachal Pradesh | 629.02 m 18.08.2019 | 628.92 m 20:00 hour 09.07.2023 | 0.1 m |
| 6 | Jateon Barrage/ Giri | Sirmaur/ Himachal Pradesh | 615.9 m 23.07.2010 | 615.6 m 02:00 hour 22.07.2023 24:00 hour 25.07.2023 | 0.3 m |
| 7 | Kalanaur/ Yamuna | Saharanpur/ Uttar Pradesh | 268.66 m 09.09.2010 | 268 m 09:00 hour 10.07.2023 | 0.66 m |
| 8 | Mawi/ Yamuna | Shamli/ Uttar Pradesh | 232.75 m 18.06.2013 | 232.3 m 16:00 hour 12.07.23 | 0.45 m |
| 9 | Baghpat/ Yamuna | Baghpat/ Uttar Pradesh | 217.18 m 27.09.1988 | 216.53 m 01:00 hour 13.07.2023 | 0.65 m |
| 10 | Palla/ Yamuna | North West/ Delhi | 212.8 m 08.09.1995 | 212.55 m 10:00 hour 13.07.2023 | 0.25 m |
| 213.27 m 28.09.1988 | |||||
| 11 | Mangrul/ Aran | Yavatmal/ Maharashtra | 290.385 m 26.08.2022 | 289.985 m 17:00 hour 22.07.2023 | 0.4 m |
| 12 | Sangam/ Kinnerasani | Khammam/ Telangana | 57.3 m 17.06.1996 | 56.8 m 10:00 hour 27.07.2023 | 0.5 m |
Apart from the HFLs breach, SANDRP could track at least 12 sites where rivers reached close to the respective HFLs. Interesting 8 of the sites are in Yamuna basin. The point worth mentioning here is that CWC has been maintaining incorrect HFLs for two sites Pandoa in Shimla, and Palla in Delhi.
Hydrographs of Giri, Renuka, Ashni rivers in Yamuna basin in Himachal Pradesh narrowly missing breaching HFLs in July 2023.
Summary: It is quite surprising to see at least 34 sites on various rivers across the country attaining new HFLs in a single month of July 2023. In addition to the recently functioning 08 sites (along Yamuna and Hindon rivers), the number for the older HFL breach sites be at least 26.
Of total 34 HFL breach incidents, 27 (79%) of these incidents have been witnessed in just four states of Uttar Pradesh (11), Telangana (7), Himachal Pradesh (5), Haryana (4); while 2 each of HFL breach incidents have taken place in Assam and Uttarakhand and one each in Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
River basin wise, the maximum 21 HFL breach incidents (about 62%) have taken place in Ganga basin followed by 4 incidents in Godavari basin, 3 in Krishna basin, 2 each in Brahmaputra & Indus basin and 1 each in Tapi & Luni basin.
Interestingly, alone Yamuna basin has seen HFL breach incidents at 16 sites. Moreover, there have been many sites particularly in Ganga, Yamuna basin breaching the old HFLs twice or thrice in a single month.
Then, there are sites where rivers are reaching close to or crossing the HFL more frequently including DRF, Kachhla Bridge and Sirpur sites.
The most unusual flood levels have been observed at Kachhla Bridge flood forecast site in Budaun district where the Ganga river has either been flowing over HFL or parallel or close to the HFL since July 13, 2023. Even in August, September 2022 the river had rose close to the HFL.
Similar flood pattern has been observed at DRF site in Assam in July 2023 and at Bishunpur site in Darbhanga district of Bihar where Adhwara river stayed in extreme flood situation for about a month in July-August 2020. Presently, the Bishunpur site is inactive.
This could be a result of changing rainfall patterns, operation of dams upstream or some technical errors at these particular sites which require more detailed analysis. Meanwhile, there is no explanation from CWC for the unusual flood levels happening at these sites.
There are few sites where rivers in Himachal Pradesh have reached close to the HFLs during the flood spell and some of the sites specially in Lahul and Spiti were seen remaining un-updated for about three days by the CWC.
There could be the sites where Beas rivers have flowed in extreme flood situation but given inadequate number of sites and inefficient monitoring by CWC, the information about these events and sites is unavailable.
Flood monitoring work by CWC and state government in Punjab has no record available in public domain revealing the data on flood levels in Ghaggar, Sutlej, Beas, Ravi rivers which have flooded vast areas in Punjab and parts of Haryana and Rajasthan in July 2023. Similarly, the flood monitoring sites are inadequate in Rajasthan and Gujarat states which have witnessed extreme rainfall spells in July 2023.
Disturbingly, CWC flood monitoring network does not include the biggest dams of North India, namely Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar, on Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers respectively. Bhakra Beas Management Board could be monitoring Bhakra and Pong dams, but there is no information available on BBMB sites about the water levels, water inflows and out flows from these dams. This is yet another major gap in flood forecasting by CWC.
There are some other glaring lapses in maintaining and updating HFL records by CWC. The incorrect HFLs for Pandoa in Shimla, Palla in Delhi and Anantharam in Nalgonda sites on Satluj, Yamuna and Musi rivers are a few examples of this.
Bhim Singh Rawat (bhim.sandrp@gmail.com)
SANDRP 