Yamuna River Level Rises Over Two Metres at Old Railway Bridge Near Yamuna Bazaar
The water level of the Yamuna river in Delhi rose sharply by over two metres on Sunday, crossing the 204-metre mark following heavy rainfall in the upstream hills. The river rose from 201.87 metres at 10:00 PM on Saturday to 204.05 metres at 11:00 AM on Sunday at the Old Railway Bridge (Loha Pul) near Yamuna Bazaar, which serves as the standard measurement point for flood-related levels in the city.
Local officials stated that the sharp rise of 2.18 metres over the 12-hour period marks the first significant increase in the river's water level after a prolonged dry summer. The dry season had previously caused extensive water supply disruptions in Delhi, resulting in a shortfall of up to 100 million gallons per day (MGD) during the peak of the crisis.
The current water level of 204.05 metres remains slightly below the official "warning" level of 204.50 metres. Flood and irrigation department officials expect the water level to stabilize and noted that there is no immediate risk of flooding. The official "danger" level for the river is set at 205.33 metres.
According to data from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana, the river outflow reached 1,086.76 cumecs (38,378.85 cusecs) at 10:00 PM on July 10 and was recorded at 1,009 cumecs (35,661.1 cusecs) at 2:00 AM on July 11. This excess monsoon flow, which is normally around 352 cusecs, takes approximately 48 to 72 hours to travel from Yamunanagar to Delhi.
A senior official from the flood and irrigation department explained that the rise was expected due to the large volume of water released from the barrage over the past two to three days. While the situation remains under control, the official noted that the high flow of water is expected to flush out pollutants and improve the river's water quality in the coming days.
Bhim Singh Rawat, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), confirmed that this is the first instance of natural flow returning to the riverbed after a completely dry summer, which will help start the period during which the Yamuna resembles a normal river.
