Delhi Proposes Raising Yamuna River Flood Warning Levels
By John doe
The Delhi government is considering a proposal to raise the Yamuna river's flood warning and danger marks following years of siltation that have altered the river's base levels, officials said.
The irrigation department has proposed raising the "warning" mark from 204.5 metres to 205 metres, and the "danger" mark from 205.33 metres to 205.75 metres. These levels are measured at the Old Delhi Railway Bridge and serve as critical parameters for flood forecasting.
Why the Change is Needed
Officials said the river's base levels have changed due to siltation and a lack of dredging over the years. A senior official explained that the danger level was last revised in 2019 and needs reassessment following flooding episodes in the past five years.
"These levels are now being attained even at low discharge levels from the upstream barrage because the carrying capacity of the river sections has decreased due to base siltation. Attaining this level frequently causes panic," the official said.
Historical Context
The Yamuna recorded its highest water level of 208.66 metres on July 13, 2023, flooding low-lying areas and breaching the previous high of 207.49 metres set on September 6, 1978. Data from the irrigation and flood control department shows the river has crossed the 207-metre mark only four times in the past 63 years.
Water released toward Delhi from the Yamuna, Tons and Giri rivers is regulated at the Hathnikund barrage, located 228km upstream. During the 2023 flooding, water flow exceeded 200,000 cusecs.
Expert Concerns
Bhim Singh Rawat, a Yamuna activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, said the 2023 floods exposed three key failures: poor flood forecasting by the Central Water Commission, siltation of the river bed, and encroachments on the floodplain.
"Just changing the marks is not the solution. We need a proper cross-sectional study, the dumping of construction soil and waste should be stopped and encroachments should be removed," Rawat said.
Impact on Vulnerable Communities
Under current flood protocols, gates at drain inlets close when the warning level is reached. Villages within river embankments, including Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur and Madanpur Khadar, remain most vulnerable to flooding and require evacuation during high water levels.
The office of the Irrigation and Flood Control minister did not comment on the development. The final decision on the proposed revisions rests with the government.