Monechaung Dam in Magway Region poses no risk

As of the measurement taken on 14 September, the water level of the Monechaung Dam in Magway Region is approximately 11.4 feet above the allowable level. However, the situation is not critical since the dam’s structures are strong despite the overflow.
In addition, dam surveillance teams have been deployed to monitor the rainfall and water storage capacity of dams, lakes, and reservoirs in Magway Region round the clock. Authorities are advising people living near the rivers to remain vigilant.
“There are 63 dams where excess water overflows and flows back into the original stream. When the water overflows from the spillway, an emergency situation is designated as Level 1, which raises a green flag to notify the public,” said U Kaung Myat Thein, Director of the Department of Irrigation and Water Utilization Management.
A spillway or an overflow channel is a structure designed to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam when the allowable water level in the dam is reached. Any additional water will flow through the spillway and return to the original stream.
From small village reservoirs to large dams, lakes, and reservoirs, an overflow structure is necessary to release excess water. Without such a structure, incoming water has no outlet and may flow over the embankments of the reservoirs and dams, causing erosion over time and increasing the risk of structural failure.
“The spillway cannot be opened to release water; it is designed to allow excess water to flow through only when the dams are full. If the dams are not full, the spillway will not allow water to overflow. This means that it is impossible to force the spillway to overflow or prevent it from overflowing. During heavy rainfall, more water will flow into the dam, leading to overflow through the spillway. Conversely, with insufficient rainfall, no water will overflow from the spillway,” an engineer said. — Htun Htun/TH