Supa Dam goes dry, opens floodgates of memories for residents

The Supa reservoir is, these days, receiving hordes of enthusiasts who want to know what it looked like in the days preceding its construction.

The reason: the reservoir has gone bone dry, thanks to the summer heat. Also, the leftover water has been diverted to feed the hydel unit downstream.

Submerged villages seem to have suddenly appeared from nowhere, setting off nostalgic feelings among the dwellers of yore.

Wells that once quenched the thirst of residents, remnants of old houses and temples that housed deities once upon a time - the whole place gives a peek into a bygone era.

Residents recall that 47 villages had been submerged in the backwaters of the dam and a few of them - Hasanagaon, Tetawali, Birode and Malakundi - have come out of the womb of time as it were.

As on Saturday (June 11), the water level recorded was 519 metres or 21.81 tmcft of water (14.78% of its capacity).

The water level on the same day last year was 535.49 metres or 53.211 tmcft.

An interesting anecdote here is that in the period from 1990 to 2022, the Supa reservoir attained full capacity only in 2006, with a water level of 564 metres.

The dam recorded huge inflows in 2019, thanks to bountiful rains and water was released through the crest gates as a precautionary measure.

It hit its lowest level in 2003, recording 506.8 metres. It is said that the submerged villages had become visible at that time too.

“It did not attract the attention of the outer world then as there was no such thing called social media,” said Joida resident Mahadeva Desai.