Subansiri River records unprecedented drop in water discharge, flow falls to 299 cumecs

The Subansiri River has recorded an unusually sharp decline in water discharge, with the flow dropping to just 299 cubic metres per second (cumecs) in the early hours of Tuesday, November 3 marking an unprecedented reduction from its normal dry-season levels.

The river, which typically maintains a minimum discharge of around 3,000 cumecs during the dry season, witnessed a significant fall in water flow, raising concerns over the unusual change in its discharge pattern.

According to the latest available readings, the river's discharge has since increased to 523 cumecs. However, the flow remains considerably below its usual dry-season level, indicating that the sharp decline has not yet been fully reversed.

The recorded discharge of 299 cumecs represents a nearly 90 per cent reduction from the river's normal minimum dry-season flow. Even after the subsequent recovery to 523 cumecs, the water discharge remains substantially lower than the expected level.

The development has been described as unprecedented in the recorded history of the Subansiri River, with such a steep decline in water discharge reportedly not observed before.

However, the reason behind the sudden reduction in water flow has not yet been specified. Further information on the factors responsible for the unusual change in the river's discharge is awaited.