The Dhap Dam in Kathmandu’s Gokarneshwar Municipality-1 remains fully safe, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said on Saturday, following concerns over the reservoir after heavy monsoon rains.
The Nagmati and Dhap Dam Project, under the Department of Irrigation, said the dam and its main structures were in a safe condition. The reservoir was built to help meet Kathmandu Valley’s water needs during the dry season.
The project issued the statement after questions were raised about the condition of the dam following heavy rainfall. It also released a video showing that the risk observed in the dam area several days ago had been fully addressed.
According to the project, its technical team has been regularly monitoring the dam’s condition, water level and inflow as continued monsoon rainfall increased water flows in the reservoir and surrounding areas.
A landslide occurred along the roadside near Saddle Dam-1 on September 9, prompting authorities to take immediate safety measures. Since that evening, around 400 litres of water per second has been continuously released from the reservoir through the outflow system.
As a result, the water level has fallen by 2.38 metres to 2,084.80 metres, with about 35 percent of the total stored water safely discharged, the project said.
The normal water level of the Dhap Dam is 2,087.14 metres. If heavy rainfall causes the level to rise above that point, excess water will automatically flow out through the spillway, according to the project.
With rainfall now declining, officials expect the volume of water entering the reservoir to decrease as well.
The project said it was also expediting water drainage, embankment protection and emergency management measures in the landslide-affected area.
It said technical assessments and safety monitoring of the dam were continuing and that there was currently no indication of an imminent risk. It urged the public not to panic and to rely only on official information.
